


But it solves every problem!

by aidail



Category: Supernatural
Genre: BAMF Gabriel (Supernatural), Fix-It, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Past Abuse, Plot, Sam Has Issues, Seriously though the archangels never get to do anything cool, Someone needs to smack some sense into them, Time Travel Fix-It, possible PTSD, season 9 fix-it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-08-12 23:52:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 45
Words: 53,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7953943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aidail/pseuds/aidail
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Starts from the end of Meta fiction (season 9). After Metatron makes Cass see Gabriel again, Sam gets the idea of bringing the Archangel back. Because what better way to fight a knight of hell and a scribe of God than the one guy who was there from the beginning (who hasn't tried to end the world...yet).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sam has an excellent idea

Everything was falling apart. Metatron, Gadreel, Abbadon, the Mark, the hits just kept coming and Sam didn’t know how much longer they were going to be able to hold out. He actually found himself missing the apocalypse. At least then things had been simple. 

Sam, Dean and Castiel were still standing in the car park. Metatron had waltzed in and treated their wards like a cheap parlor trick. Sam was still trying to work out why he would give Cass back? He certainly hadn’t needed to. He was frustrated and angry, made even worse by seeing Gadreel. 

Cass and Dean were getting bogged down in taking a star wars metaphor way too far, so Sam jumped back in.  
“What happened Cass? Did he tell you anything?”  
He was hoping Metatron might have let something slip. He seemed like the type who liked to hear himself talk. Sometimes that was useful, even if it was annoying. 

Cass looked at Sam.  
“He wants me to lead the angels against him.”  
Dean scoffed loudly.  
“What? Why?”  
“He wants me to be his villain.” Cass replied, straight forward as always. “He sent Gabriel to try and convince me to lead them. He was unsuccessful.” 

Sam could see Dean was about to protest, probably something reassuring about Cass not being a villain. But Sam got in first.  
“Gabriel’s alive?”  
“I don’t believe so. He was an illusion created by Metatron. When I asked if he was really there he didn’t reply. His reaction was vague and confusing. But if he was alive, I believe we would know.”  
“How?” Dean cut in again. “Guy was here hiding for like a bazillion years. What makes you think you’d be able to find him?”  
“I don’t believe he would abandon us. Not with Metatron.” Cass said earnestly.  
“Yeah cause sticking his neck out worked so well for him before.” Dean countered.  
“That was different. That was a fight between archangels. It was destined. This is not.” Cass repled, unconvinced by Dean’s doubt. 

Sam meanwhile was busy thinking. Because he’d just come up with an idea. It was desperate, and maybe impossible. But they’d passed desperate a few mile markers back. It was at least worth running by Cass.  
“What if we could bring him back?” Sam asked, focusing on Cass.  
“Having an archangel on our side would be very helpful. But I don’t see how it would be possible.” Cass stated confused.  
“There’s a spell.” Sam admitted. “I found it in some of Kevin’s notes from the angel tablet.”  
His voice cracked slightly saying his name. He couldn’t think about the kid without also remembering that it was his hands that had been used to kill him. But he needed to focus. The guilt spiral could wait till he was alone. 

Both Cass and Dean looked at him in surprise.  
“And when were you going to tell us about this?” Dean asked, with more hostility than necessary. He was always on edge these days.  
“Look, with everything that’s been going it kind of slipped my mind ok? We’ve been pretty busy. Besides…” Sam kind of trailed off, not able to get any more of the words out, but Dean could read him. He’d always been able to see what Sam meant, even if he couldn’t say it. Dean could only imagine where Sam’s head had been at going through Kevin’s notes for anything useful. He filled the sudden silence. 

“Yeh, yeh ok, so what, you’re thinking we bring him back, he can round up all the angels, maybe take out Metatron?”  
It didn’t sound like a bad plan. Assuming he’d go along with it. Dean had mostly got over his resentment of the Trickster when he’d gone to bat for them, and then handed them the key (literally) they needed to beat Lucifer. He didn’t like him, but if he could solve their angel problem, he was willing to take the chance. 

Cass too looked thoughtful.  
“Assuming it could be done, having an archangel that isn’t trying to start the apocalypse would be very helpful in heaven. The angels need a leader. So many of our brothers and sisters have fallen, factions are fighting among themselves. We need someone to take control. Gabriel would be an excellent candidate.”

“Alright, well then we’ll head back, see what we can dig up and we’ll let you know.”  
Dean was keen to get out of there. Not only did they have a kind of plan, but he was anxious to avoid Cass from noticing the Mark. He had already been looking at him strangely and that was one can of worms he wanted to keep a lid on. He didn’t need the lecture, or the look of disappointment he was sure he’d get. So he just turned and headed for the car. Castiel turned to Sam. 

“Keep an eye on him.” He warned.  
Sam wondered how much he really knew, but didn’t say anything, just nodded.  
“Take care of yourself. We’ll keep in touch.”


	2. Research Time

Sam found what he was looking for easy enough. Despite the seeming haphazard work space, Kevin had been methodical, keeping meticulous notes. A quick scan showed him that it was exactly what he’d thought. A spell powerful enough to raise a dead archangel, with a few dangerous or impossible ingredients, and requiring them to go back to the hotel where he’d died.

Sam was still boggled each time they came across something like this. It was like a hidden back door to the universe. Why would God have even bothered creating things like this? Why was there a spell to shut everyone out of Heaven? To make all the angels fall, even the ones in prison? Were they supposed to be a test to see who was dumb enough to try them? In which case the Winchesters flunking God 101. 

Sam certainly couldn’t imagine a scenario where someone would need to kick all the angels out of heaven and it be a good thing. After all, God probably didn’t need a spell to do what he wanted. So it had to have been left for someone, anyone else to find. Probably idiots like them. The brothers had both seen the chance to shut the gates of hell and jumped on it. But now that Sam thought about it, after they’d seen what happened to Kevin, it was too good to be true. More than likely they’d end up with a massive ghost problem, a bunch of angry spirits who were supposed to be hell bound, stuck on earth doing who knows what. 

Regardless of the reason, Sam was glad for it now, because it was giving them exactly what they needed. Although, he was also fairly apprehensive. The idea to bring Gabriel back had been a bit of momentary inspiration. Normally he might have thought about the idea for a while before spilling it to Dean. After all, he had a bad history of trying to fix things and only making it worse. But he’d been too excited by the idea. Secretly, he was thinking this might not only solve their problem with Metatron. Abaddon might be a Knight of Hell, but what good was that against an Archangel of the Lord?

Of course there were plenty of ways for this to backfire. Not the least that Gabriel might just smite them both on principle. Sam still couldn’t forget how he’d made him watch Dean die a hundred times, or tv land, which had been it’s own special kind of torture. It didn’t give him a lot of confidence. But those had been to serve a purpose. Especially mystery spot. While he wasn’t thrilled by the way he’d gone about it, he had to admit the angel had a point. If he’d just let Dean go the way he was supposed to, things might have been very different. 

Besides, Gabriel, the Trickster, whoever he was, only went after dicks. And so far, Matatron had proven himself to be the biggest one by far. Including actual Dick Roman. Even if he wasn’t willing to help them for their own sake (which lets face it, he had no reason to), Sam was hoping that he at least would want to take down the angel who was calling himself God, and had kicked all the angels out of heaven. Sam had seen how much the Archangel loved his family. And Sam knew if he ever met anyone pretending to be John Winchester, that person wouldn’t be doing it for long. Sam could only hope Gabriel would feel the same. 

Dean was impatient, waiting for Sam to finish scanning the ingredients. Thank fully the whole spell seemed to be there. Sam also noticed the smaller notes on the side, notations on the translated text. For Cass? Had been written to the left of the page and then Archangel only had been printed and underlined. It was a pity, having a back up to revive Cass would have been handy. But this was what they needed. 

The spell itself was simple enough. It seemed with the right ingredients, it didn’t really take much to do world-changing things. After all, Cass had told them Metatron had done what he did with only three ingredients. This spell had four. 

The first item was the blade of an archangel. Right there, anyone else would have been defeated. But Sam knew exactly where to find one. Lucifer had kept Gabriel’s. Lucifer’s had been taken when he was thrown into the cage the first time and was probably in heaven somewhere. He’d kept Gabriel’s with the intention of using it during the battle with Michael. After all, Michael didn’t know about Gabriel, and didn’t know Lucifer had a blade that could kill him. It was a cunning plan, but now it meant that Sam knew exactly where to find it. Which was lucky, because there were only two other options.

Michael had taken his with him into the cage when they both fell. And Sam didn’t know where to start looking for Raphael’s. Dean had picked it up after their confrontation with Balthazar, and given it back when Cass opened purgatory. The last he’d seen it, was after he’d used it to stab Cass. Cass had left it sitting on a table, but after that, between the hell visions and the Leviathan, he hadn’t been keeping track of it. 

Sam had a feeling it would probably be most affective to use Gabriel’s anyway. Not only was it the sword of the one they were trying to resurrect, it had also, ironically, been the one that killed him. That tied it to him both ways, and that kind of thing was usually important in spells. 

The blade itself was in the church where Lucifer had first risen. As much as Sam very much did not want to go back there, it was necessary. So that would be their first stop. The other things they needed to run by Cass. One of them was fairly straightforward, they needed the feather of an angel. The third was a drop from the waters of life. That was going to be tricky. Sam did a quick look up, and the revelations reference was fairly unhelpful. With their experience of the supernatural, what was often believed to be allegory tended to have some kind of physical representation. So Sam was going to have to talk to Cass about that. 

The fourth was one surprisingly easy. It called for blood. What kind wasn’t specified, but he assumed Cass would have an idea. Sam just hoped it wasn’t blood of the vessel. The body had been burned, along with the hotel. They’d gone back after a few days to check, and Lucifer must have torched the place. And Sam was assuming he’d been using the same vessel since he first came to earth. Which meant tracking a bloodline would be impossible, given that was probably a few thousand years before humans invented writing. 

Sam ran them all past Dean who frowned when he heard about the blade.  
“A feather, some water and the blood shouldn’t be too hard. But how’re we supposed to find an archangel blade?”   
Sam actually laughed.  
“That’s actually the easy one. I know where Lucifer stashed one.”  
Dean looked at him, surprised.  
“This another thing you didn’t think to mention? Like maybe when we were dealing with Raphael?” Dean grumbled, though with no real heat. It wasn’t like having the sword would have helped. They’d still need a chance to use it. 

“Yeh sure, it was on my to do list, right after get my soul back, and deal with Lucivision” Sam snarked back.   
“Yeah alright whatever. So where is it?”   
“St Mary’s.”  
“Of course it is. Alright, you stay here, see if you can get a hold of Cass, I’ll go find this stupid blade. Any idea where to start looking?”  
Dean’s tone said he wasn’t arguing on this and Sam had to admit, he didn’t really want to push it. Sure it would be easier to find with him there, he knew exactly where it was. But it wasn’t that well hidden, and well, Sam wasn’t exactly anxious to go anywhere near there again. 

“Under the alter. You sure you don’t want me to come with?” He tried to keep his tone casual. But as always, Dean saw right through him.   
“Nah, you’re good here Sammy.”  
With that, Dean headed out, leaving Sam alone surrounded by books.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No one seems to conclusively know where Raph's blade ended up, or who had it when, so I've subbed in some details. Also, if anyone can come up with some better spell ingredients, I'm open to suggestions. I was going for a cardinal/elemental approach.  
> Sword = fire  
> Blood = Earth (body of man formed from dust)  
> Water of life = Water (obvs)  
> Feather = Air
> 
> Thanks for reading :)


	3. Up all night to get Loki('s angel Blade)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean goes on a quest.

Even with Dean’s driving it still took a day to get to St Mary’s and he’d needed to find somewhere to crash along the way. Since settling in at the bunker, Dean had started resenting the crappy motel rooms even more, but it was just part of the gig. It was worse not having his brother to share it with. He didn’t stay long, just a few hours so he wouldn’t be in danger of falling asleep at the wheel. 

When he got there, it was past midnight. The place gave him the creeps, but he knew it was nothing like what it would do to Sam. Anything related to Lucifer or angels was a trigger these days, and between Gadreel and the cage, Dean didn’t blame his brother one bit. If he never met another angel again it’d be too soon. With the exception of Cass of course. 

Finding the blade was easier than expected. It made him nervous. Nothing was ever this simple in their lives. He’d come fully prepared to have to fight something for it, or for it to just simply not be there. Even with it sitting in the trunk on his way back, he half suspected it might be another fake. While it looked like the same sword he’d seen Gabriel with, it wouldn’t be the first fake of it. Kali had fallen for that one too. 

Even so, he didn’t stop until he was back at the bunker. If this was the real thing, it was precious cargo, and with Metatron around, who knew if it was safe. After all, he’d vanished the warding in the trunk with a wave. And his parting comment made it sound as if he were watching them. He couldn’t afford to lose this now. It was the closest to a half way decent plan they’d come up with so far. 

It occurred to Dean that if this all came through, that maybe even the mark would be unnecessary. While they’d seen the effects of an angel blade, an archangel blade was something else. If it could kill an archangel, something made by God and supposedly the most powerful beings in the universe second only to him, then surely it worked on a knight? If it could kill Lucifer, it could kill the things he’d made. 

Which left Dean with a problem. Because he knew the mark was affecting him. He wasn’t an idiot. Even if he didn’t want to admit it, especially to Sam. But he’d thought it was necessary. It happened sometimes, they got so caught up in the lore, in chasing down the next thing, they forgot to think outside the box. Right now though, he needed to focus. If he let himself go over all the mistakes he’d made recently he’d never make it back. Getting the blade back to Sam had to be his priority. 

When he got back, he wasn’t surprised to see Sam elbow deep in books, stacks piled up around him at the table. He was surprised to see Cass. They both looked up as he came in and forced himself to smile and relax into his glib attitude. He waved the blade unceremoniously, answering the unspoken question on both their faces. Sam relaxed into a pleased smile while Cass just looked at him intently. Par for course on that one. 

“You got it?” Sam came forward excitedly.   
“Assuming it’s not another fake, yeh. Under the alter right where you said. Piece of cake.” 

Dean saw the same flash of uneasiness on Sam’s face that meant he’d had the same thought as Dean. It was way too easy. But he shrugged it off.   
“Guess no one ever knew it was there. So how’re things here?”  
It was both his way of asking about the research progress and checking on Sam without making it obvious. Sam didn’t think he knew how to do subtle, but that just made it easier when he wanted to be. 

“Yeh, we’re good. Got two out of four. Well three now, assuming that’s the real deal.” Sam replied, distracted by the research. Dean half nodded to himself. Sam was always happier in research mode, when he had something to occupy his mind and distract him from his own head. Dean preferred the clarity of a fight, but whatever worked. 

Cass held out a hand for the blade, and Dean passed it over willingly.  
“It’s real” he said succinctly, handing it back carefully.   
“Good. Then Cass got the angel feathers, and apparently blood is just blood. It doesn’t need to be much either, so that’s easy. Just leaves-“  
“The waters of life. Yeh, right. So what is that?” Dean cut across, flopping down at the table.   
“That’s what we’re working on. Most people seem to think it’s kind of like the Holy Spirit. But that doesn’t help us much. And it has to be something real, or the spell wouldn’t need it.”

Dean nodded thinking it through.   
“Ok, so what’s the story on this thing then?”  
Cass was the one who answered.  
“And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.” He intoned while staring at Dean. Not for the first time Dean felt a shiver as those eyes and that deep voice combined to give an almost hypnotic affect. Even after all these years, he wasn’t immune to it, just better at hiding it.   
“English Cass. English.”  
“That’s the best reference we’ve been able to find.” Sam interjected.   
“Alright, so we keep looking.” Dean said tiredly. He could see Sam looking at him with concern, as well as that strange head tilt from Cass which meant he was getting closer to asking what was going on. That was still a conversation Dean wanted to avoid and could see he was about to get fussed at. He’d driven almost three days straight and he needed to crash. It wasn’t like he was much help with this research stuff anyway. So he left his brother and his angel at the table and went seeking his bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the bad chapter title pun, I couldn't resist.


	4. Eureka

Sam was staring at the page in front of him. It wasn’t some obscure text, or tome like it had been the past few days. It was the list of ingredients written in Kevin’s neat hand. Something about it was bugging him. They still hadn’t found any more concrete leads to the waters of life in the law, just more bible references. Sam really should be helping Cass with the books. It had been a week since they’d been looking and Sam could see Dean was getting worse. Their last case with the vampires had caused more than a few alarm bells for Sam. He should be pouring over the books right now. But there was something about this that kept nagging him.

While the blade, the feather and waters of life were written as a list, blood was written to one side, next to waters. Sam hadn’t thought about it too much, because it was at the bottom of a page. It looked like Kevin had just run out of space and it was too important to risk flipping the page and keeping the info separate. Now he was really looking and he practically hit himself when he realised what he was seeing.

He blamed the stress and lack of sleep for making such an obvious mistake. Blood was the waters of life. Literally in the sense that it was what kept you alive, but it also matched up with the references they’d found as an interpretation of the Eucharist and baptism. If his interpretation was correct, then the blood they needed, the waters of life, was the blood of someone with faith. He ran the idea by Cass, showing him the paper.

“It makes sense.” Cass said slowly.   
Sam looked over it again, thinking back through the research.  
“Doesn’t this also tie in with the Holy Grail? I mean it’s supposed to give immortality, but it also has a lot of association with blood and water.”   
Cass looked thoughtful.  
“Yes, I suppose.”   
“Do you think it’s worth a shot?” Sam asked, anxious. He tended to defer to Cass’s expertise in these matters. After all, even though Dean treated him like an ordinary person most of the time, Sam couldn’t forget that Cass had been around before humanity. There wasn’t much he didn’t know and when it came to stuff like this, he was more inclined to follow the angel’s lead. It was reassuring that he actually paused and took the time to consider. It meant he was weighing their options carefully, and not charging in as Dean might have done. 

“I think we’re running out of time.” Cass said slowly. “Metatron is amassing followers. Whatever he is planning, it will be soon. If we are going to succeed, it needs to be done now. But we are only going to get one chance at this.”  
Cass paused at stared at the wall for a moment. Sam waited anxiously.  
“I think we should try.” He said finally. Sam nodded.  
“Right, well sooner than better yeh? I’ll go grab Dean.” 

“No need.” Dean said, walking in behind him. He looked at Sam and noticed the difference immediately.  
“You figure it out?”  
“Yeh. It’s still blood, but has to be from someone with faith, possibly baptised.”   
“So the blood and the waters are the same thing? Great, well then what are we waiting for?”   
“Wait, Dean, do you think we should talk about this first?” Sam asked, hesitating.   
“What’s there to talk about? You found the spell, so let’s go.”  
“You aren’t the least bit concerned?”  
“Look Sammy, we’ve got a Knight of Hell nipping at our heels, and King Douche playing God upstairs and who knows how many angry angels out there looking to take one out on humanity. This was your idea. And right now I’m not seeing many options.”  
“That’s what I’m afraid of Dean. Every time we make a choice because we don’t think we have options, we make the wrong ones.”   
Cass cut in unexpectedly.   
“That’s where you’re wrong Sam. From what I’ve seen, it’s usually when you’re given more choices that it ends badly.”   
Sam looked at him surprised and realised he was right. Ruby had said it before they killed her. She gave him the options and he chose wrong every time. This time, there wasn’t much of a choice. They had no way of stopping Metatron or Abaddon. Except maybe Dean. And letting his brother give in to what he’d seen? That was definitely the wrong choice. 

“Alright. So who’s blood are we going to use?” Sam conceded.   
“Well you know we both got dipped as kids, so either of us should work.”  
“In this case, I don’t think it means a literal baptism.” Cass said. “I think it means faith.”   
“You sure Cass? Cause like you said, we only have one shot.” Sam asked  
“Yes.”  
He sounded confident, and Sam didn’t want to waste time arguing. It was already a long shot. Besides, as Dean said, they were covered either way.   
“I think it should be Sam.” Cass said. 

Dean looked at him like he was about to argue, but Sam cut in, giving him a hard look. Sam had noticed he was avoiding Cass on purpose, probably trying to hide the mark. And Sam didn’t know how it was affecting him, but he doubted it would make him a good candidate for something like this. Cass was out because he wasn’t human.  
“Alright.” He agreed. “Is there anything I should do? I don’t know, take a shower or something?”  
Dean looked at him confused and for a moment, it was just his big brother looking at him because he’d said something stupid.  
“Why would you take a shower?”  
“Sam is right, there are a lot of rituals that require purity. It would be wise to be safe.”  
“Alright well beauty queen, you go wash your hair. Meet back here in an hour.”

Sam just turned and headed for his room. There really wasn’t much more to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to change my ideas a little, but I think it works. I tried to avoid the baptism route, because that seems to be mostly Christian and that's never been addressed on the show.


	5. Winchester's never have any luck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raising the dead. Just a typical Tuesday for a Winchester...

It was dark by the time they got there, which made Sam feel irrationally safer. They were expecting Metatron or Gadreel to appear at any point and stop them. But they set up the alter, using the enochian sigils printed on the paper and everything was in place. There was a fire over to one side, giving them enough light to work by. There was a circle of unlit holy oil down, mostly for if they succeeded, because they’d seen how easily Metatron dealt with that. There were also various angel wardings and banishing sigils in place. They weren’t taking any chances.

The ritual itself was uncomplicated. The sword and the feather were laid down and Sam pulled out one of his ordinary knives to cut his hand. A short phrase in enochian as he held his dripping hand over them. At first it was anticlimactic. Nothing happened and he glanced over at his brother and Cass, standing over to one side, uneasy. 

“I guess we were wrong…” he started. And then he felt the sickeningly familiar burning sensation and he screamed as he felt the world around him disappear. Every fiber of his being screamed defiance, but it didn’t matter. He felt the grace filling him up and he was gone. 

 

Gabriel was…not dead. Which was an improvement. And he was in an unfamiliar vessel. It was much taller than the one he’d been used to and for a moment he was confused. Being resurrected could do that to a guy. But when he looked up and saw the pair of shocked and (at least in Dean’s case) horrified faces, he put two and two together and realised exactly what must have happened. A quick look down at the alter confirmed his suspicion and he quickly turned himself inwards.

Sam was in there, but even as he tried to approach, he saw him flinch back and hide. That was no good. He needed to get out of here as soon as possible. But first they needed somewhere to go. He could make sense of all of this later. But right now, there were angels incoming and he didn’t feel like a family reunion. So he turned his attention on the two knuckleheads in front of him who were still gaping. 

“Hey Cassie.” He said smirking. “You got a place we can hideout? Got some things we need to sort.”  
“Gabriel?” Cass’s sounded confused and shocked and Gabriel sighed dramatically.  
“Little slow on the uptake there boys. We need to go. Like, now!” he added, giving the words an edge. He rolled his eyes as Dean moved aggressively towards him. He did not have time for this.  
“We’re not going anywhere till you give him back.” Dean tried to threaten. Gabriel gave him one last shot before he just zapped them out. He’d prefer to head straight for somewhere safe so he could set about fixing this asap, but anywhere away from here was rapidly becoming attractive.  
“I’d love to pal, but right now, we have incoming. And I’m guessing you need to avoid them as much as we do. I promise I’ll humpty dumpty your brother back together again when we’re done, but right now, we gotta go.” 

Dean glared at him for a moment, but there was something broken in that gaze. Obviously there was a lot he’d missed, but story time could wait.  
“Lebanon, Kansas.” Dean spat finally.  
“Alright, buckle up kids, you’re flying archangel express.”  
With a snap they were standing in an unfamiliar place, but Dean seemed to recognize it.  
“9 miles west south west” Cass added and Gabriel snapped again curiously.

Now they were outside a rather non-descript looking building that Dean and Cass were hurrying towards. Gabriel followed. He could sense the wardings and sigils all over the place. Here at least, they should be safe for a while. 

Inside, he took a moment to be mildly impressed. This was a step up from a dive motel. But that could wait. Right now he had work to do.  
“Alright, now you get out.” Dean was right there, trying to get in his face, but failing. For the first time Gabriel could appreciate the height difference. It was nice being able to look down. He casually fiddled with the blade in his hand. He’d swiped it off the alter before leaving, because of course he had. It was enough of a threat to have Cass dragging the man back, eyes regarding him carefully. Not that he needed it. He could end this human at any time. 

“Happy to Deano. Just need some time to rebuild my vessel. Be back in a jiffy.” He added with a wink and snapped himself deeper into the building, finding an empty room to work in. 

It took a little longer than a jiffy. Rebuilding a vessel wasn’t difficult, but it was harder being further away, and working with a burned and decayed corpse. The soul of the man who’d inhabited it had long since passed, and Gabriel had preferred it that way. He wasn’t exactly comfortable keeping some sorry human soul bottled up at the back of his head. Which was part of the reason why he was so keen to get out of Sam. The fact that he could practically hear the man screaming was a pretty big incentive too. Even if he hadn’t cared (and he didn’t) it was an uncomfortable sensation. If it weren’t for the spell that brought him back, he was sure he’d have been evicted immediately. 

Finally, his familiar form was ready, not needing permission since he’d built it from scratch and there was no soul in there to give consent. He stepped from one to the other, laying Sam down in the nearby bed first so he wouldn’t fall when he was out. He could be considerate sometimes.

It was good to be back in the familiar skin. Or as much as being in a vessel ever felt good. He stretched carefully, feeling everything fit together smoothly and stretched again just for the pleasure of it. He looked down at the bed where the youngest Winchester lay unconscious. He needed to find Dean. 

He wasn’t keen on leaving Sam alone. But he doubted he should be the one looking out for him. So with a shrug he headed for the door and back out into the hall. He looked to be in a corridor with bedrooms off each side. He took a quick note of the door number before he left the unconscious Sam and sauntered back into the main room where he’d left the man and his brother. 

“Hey guys! Guess who’s back.” He announced himself loudly. Just in time for Dean to throw his lighter and he found himself in a ring of Holy fire. He made sure to sigh dramatically.  
“Really Dean? I’m not feeling the love.”  
“Where’s Sam!?” Dean demanded angrily.  
“Tucked up safe and sound in bed.” He answered easily. Nothing had changed there then.  
“You better be telling the truth.” Dean growled as he stalked past.  
“Room 14!” He sung out helpfully.  
The Holy fire was an annoyance, but he wasn’t too concerned. After all they’d brought him back. So they needed him for something. Not that he intended to help them. But hey, it didn’t hurt to listen. 

Castiel was still there, watching him. It wasn’t nearly as much fun to tease this brother. He’d always been too earnest. But Gabriel had to admit; it was nice to see him.  
“Hiya bro. See you’re still alive.”  
“I missed you Gabriel.” It was said in that same honest way he said everything, and Gabriel almost believed him. It would be touching if it were true.  
“Sure you did.”  
Cass looked like he was about to reply when they both heard Dean calling his name.  
“Better run along now brother.”

Cass moved past him out of the room and Gabriel watched him go. He could tell he was going to be here a while.


	6. Family Drama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting Gabriel up to speed (kind of)

Sam opened his eyes slowly. For the first time in a long time there was no pain. He was already cataloguing his impressions, a trait built into him from long experience sleeping in dodgy motels and waking up tied up or worse. He was somewhere familiar, and as his eye opened properly he recognized his surroundings immediately. Then it all came crashing back and he started up, already looking for danger, only to have Dean grab him and hold him down a little so he wouldn’t freak. 

“Where is he?” Sam asked, still panicked.   
“Stuck in holy oil. You good?”  
Sam relaxed just a fraction. He realised he could remember what had happened, and it seemed Gabriel had done nothing more than get them to safety and then get the hell out. Which Sam was grateful for. But he still needed to know how. 

He pushed Dean off him. His brother almost tried to stop him, but he must have seen the look on Sam’s face. This wasn’t falling apart, this was angry. And Dean could back that one hundred percent. Sam stalked out into the main room. A familiar figure turned to face him, and there was that same smirk. Gabriel was back in his old form. But the smile died just a fraction as their eyes met.

“Hey Sam, how you feeling?”   
If Sam didn’t know better, he’d say it almost sounded like Gabriel was concerned, but Sam was too mad to care.  
“What the hell happened!?”  
Gabriel raised a hand placating, taking half a step back, as much as he could inside the flames.   
“Whoa, easy there Sammy. Let me explain ok. That was all the spell.” 

Sam stopped and tried to take a breath, but his hands were still shaking. Gabriel lowered his hands, looking uncertain. But then Dean stepped up and the sarcastic smirk was back.   
“Alright, lets everyone calm down. You,” he said glaring at Gabriel, “start talking.”  
“You gonna make me Deano?” he snapped back glaring, but he switched to a sigh when he looked at Sam. 

“I’m sorry kiddo. Really. I know that wasn’t fun for you. Taking away your consent like that? Really not my style. But it was built into the spell. Properties of an angel bound by blood. Whoever performs the ritual is effectively offering themselves up as an earthly anchor. Basically a vessel. Your blood in that spell was tantamount to consent.”   
Sam just continued to glare. But he unwound enough to nod slightly and ask,   
“So what, you can just pop in whenever you like?”  
“No, of course not. Now I’m out, I’m out for good. I don’t want back in and even if I did, you’d have to give consent again. And we both know that isn’t happening.” He explained with a small eye roll.   
“You’re actually incredibly lucky. If you were anyone else besides maybe Dean here, you’d be toast. You two morons are the only people on the planet who’d survive that. But then I guess no one else is stupid enough to try.” 

Dean felt like he was being left out of this conversation and that was not happening.  
“Why?” he jumped in, even though he was sure he knew the answer.   
“Because you’re powerful vessels moron, the most powerful. You were built to house archangels. I might not be Lucifer, but I’d still fry out anyone less.”

Sam was still not reassured. Three times now he’d been possessed by an angel, two of those without his genuine permission. It was something he’d learned to fear after Gadreel. Being someone’s puppet, even for the short time Gabriel was in control, made his skin crawl. He needed to punch something, or run. But he couldn’t. This was what they’d been planning for. So he tried to let it go. Right now it was more important to focus on convincing the archangel turned trickster to agree to help them. 

“Well lucky me I guess. So you’re going to help us or not?”

Gabriel looked suspicious.   
“Back up the truck there Sam. Help you with what? Last thing I remember was an up close and personal encounter with the end of my sword.”  
“You weren’t in my head?” Sam asked, slightly surprised. Of course he was probably lying. But the shock seemed genuine when he said  
“No! No. Honestly Sam, what do you take me for? You were screaming in there so loud I couldn’t have touched your thoughts if I wanted to. And I wouldn’t. Not like that. There’s a reason we have to ask for consent you know. And it’s not just all Ts and Cs.”

Gabriel was starting to suspect that there was a lot more going on here than he knew. It was time to get some answers. He’d played nice long enough. 

“So any of you want to fill me in on what I missed? No wait, let me guess, everything’s rainbows and sunshine and you want my help picking out a resort for us all to go on vacation?” 

Sam and Dean looked at each other uneasily, having one of their silent conversations. They agreed Dean should handle this. 

“Not exactly….”  
“Gee why am I not surprised.” Gabriel cut in. “Although, I got to say, I am surprised the place is even still here. And no Luci?”  
Sam could see the question he really wanted to ask, but he didn’t feel inclined to help him out. He was still trying to pull himself together and the anger was helping with that. Dean answered instead.

“We shoved him back in the box, just like you said. Him and Michael both.”  
Both Gabriel’s eyebrows shot up, and Dean shifted uneasily.   
“I guess we owe you one for that tip.”  
At that the archangel snorted.  
“You owe me at least ten for that. But how on earth did you manage that?”  
“I jumped.” Sam cut in quietly.   
“You jumped?” He asked, incredulous, turning to Sam.  
“I said yes, and then I jumped in. Michael was just luck, he tried to stop me.”  
Gabriel was staring at him, shock and something that might even be awe, or disbelief. It made Sam uncomfortable being stared at like that. He preferred the smirk.

The silence stretched an uncomfortable amount of time, until Sam shifted awkwardly and coughed slightly. Still Gabriel just looked at him, expression settling into something hard and unreadable. This was more like the Gabriel they’d seen the last time he was surrounded by holy oil, not the grinning trickster, but the defeated angel. 

“You jumped into the cage with the devil riding shotgun, and pulled down big brother with you.” He finally said flatly, breaking the silence. Sam could only nod, not wanting to meet that intense golden gaze.   
“You and me are going to have a very long talk later.” He said intently. Sam actually felt himself shiver at that. 

Dean however was sick of being ignored. Something weird was going on here with the Trickster and his brother and he didn’t know what it was, but Sam was looking uncomfortable and he wasn’t going to leave it there.

“Look, that’s old news. We’ve got bigger problems now.”  
“Bigger problems? What on earth could be bigger than the apocalypse?”  
“Well now that you mention it, we probably need to come up with a word for multiple apocalypse.” Dean said.   
“Did you just make a Buffy reference?” Gabriel asked, incredulous.  
“Maybe.” Dean mumbled, embarrassed that someone actually understood that reference, but also secretly pleased. He’d been a fan of the Trickster’s style before mystery spot. And after everything they’d seen and been through, he didn’t even rank a spot on the list of things they’d dealt with. So while he wasn’t thrilled about the body snatching, he wasn’t exactly displeased to see him. Of course that didn’t mean he thought they’d be losing the holy oil any time soon. 

“So you’re telling me, you guys broke the world, again, and want me to sweep up your mess. Again?” This was exasperating. Apparently not even death could keep him out of the Winchester drama.   
“Fill me in.”  
Dean took a deep breath and began to recap everything since Elysium. And as he spoke Gabriel became grimmer and grimmer. He didn’t mention Cass taking down the wall in Sam’s head. If he didn’t know about Sam and Cass’s brief spells in the mental ward, he wanted to keep it that way. He might also have glossed over some of the details with Gadreel, not mentioning that it was Sam he was possessing, making it sound like he’d been tagging along, and healing Sam from the outside. Though he did mention it was Gadreel who killed Kevin and betrayed them. It was important Gabriel knew who the real enemies were. He also left out the part about the Mark and Cain, skipping over Abaddon completely for now. He'd want his help eventually, but right now that wouldn’t go down well, he was sure and they could always talk later. It was important to focus on the angel problem.

Finally, they were all caught up. Gabriel didn’t speak for a long time. Then he turned to Castiel, who’d been standing at the back of the room in silence.   
“Purgatory.” It wasn’t a question, but Cass nodded anyway.   
“And Leviathan.” Another nod. Then he turned on Sam.  
“The Demon trials Sammy? Really?” Sam didn’t look at him so he missed the strange, tortured expression on Gabriel’s face as he looked at these broken men who’d somehow managed to do so much harm just trying to do good.   
“And what about you?” he said turning to Dean. “What colossal screw up did you make huh?”  
Dean just looked at him angrily. Who was he to judge them?  
“Well bringing you back is starting to top my list.” He growled. Gabriel looked almost delighted.  
“Oh you haven’t seen anything yet.” Then he turned to Castiel again.  
“You wanna let me out of here now?”   
Before Dean could protest, Castiel was nodding and moving to douse the flames. Then he went before the newly freed Gabriel and fell to his knees. Dean tried to move forward but Sam grabbed his arm, giving him a look. 

Dean watched and realised how hard it had been for Cass to sit back and wait through their snarking and explanations, waiting for Gabriel to acknowledge him. Gabriel must have known he was waiting for some sign, because he didn’t look at all surprised as he looked down at the other angel. It tore at something in Dean to stand and watch, especially when Gabriel’s face changed, becoming harsher, looking less like a roguish and charming trickster and more like the avenging archangel he truly was. 

“Please Gabriel. Our brothers and sisters need you.”  
“Answer me this first Castiel. Was it you or the Leviathan in heaven when you murdered our brethren?” His voice hard.   
Dean had tried to gloss over that, but Gabriel had asked some pointed questions.  
“I take full responsibility for my actions. Even if it was the taint of the Leviathan, it was by my own hand.” Cass didn’t look away, didn’t cringe, even under the weight of that gaze, and his own crushing guilt. He was a soldier facing his general, knowing he’d failed, and willing to take the consequences. Dean had never been more proud of him. 

Gabriel didn’t move for a long moment. Then he sighed and reached down for Cass, placing a hand on his shoulder.  
“Come on, stand up.” He said gruffly.   
“You’re not going to punish me?” Cass said, surprised. Gabriel just shook his head sadly.   
“Do you know why Dad brought you back, Cass?” he asked, startling all of them. Cass shook his head solemnly.   
“He’s always been a big fan of fixing your own mess. Killing you doesn't help all the sorry saps who are left. It just makes you as dead as they will be. He brought you back so you could fix things.”   
“Does that mean you'll help us? You’ll help us kill Metatron?” Cass asked hopefully.  
“Nope.” Gabriel enunciated carefully, making the word pop as he snapped up a lollipop and walking over to flop down at the table.   
It was a complete change from what he’d been only a moment before and it was enough to give Sam whiplash. The angel was so changeable, never staying in one mood for long. Already in just this short space of time, he’d changed aspects at least a dozen times. 

“Why not?” Cass asked forlorn, when Dean though it should have been angry.   
That plaintive note in his voice bugged Dean. Even on his knees, Cass had been proud. This sounded awfully close to pleading, and it disturbed him to think of Cass being forced to be that.   
“What part of clean up your own mess did you miss.” He turned to Sam. “You heard me say that right?”

Sam shifted again, uncomfortable and Dean decided that was enough. He wasn’t going to sit back and watch this tiny punk of an angel dish out on his family. Besides, he’d never been afraid of standing up to him before.   
“See you’re still a coward then.” He sneered. Clear bright fury turned on him.   
“You wanna say that again Dean.” He emphasized the name like it meant something, though Dean didn’t know why. But he wasn’t backing down. 

“Probably aren’t even much use in a fight. Lucifer handed you your ass pretty easily.”

Gabriel let out a hollow edged laugh that made Sam’s hair stand on end. Because even if Dean didn’t want to acknowledge it, Sam and Castiel were aware that this being could end them all in an instant if he chose. He was one of the most powerful things they’d ever faced, and despite the smiles and mocking laughter, he was as capable of destroying the world as either Lucifer or Michael. Sam just hoped they were right to trust him. He didn’t think they could take any more enemies right now. 

“You think that was a fight?” Gabriel asked, voice edged with anger and a little incredulity. Dean shrugged, uncomfortable and wrong footed. Was he missing something?  
“Well yeh, I mean wasn’t it?”   
Gabriel laughed again, no amusement in it and shook his head.  
“You stupid sorry sap. You were sitting there with your speeches about standing up to family and you didn’t even know what you were asking.” 

Never before had Sam seen someone so angry. It rolled off him like waves, and if anyone in that room had doubted his power before, they wouldn’t now. And yet Sam knew he was still keeping control of himself. If he weren’t they’d have been vaporized. Suddenly he turned on Sam.  
“Tell me at least you figured it out. You’re supposed to be the smart one.”  
Sam forced himself to meet that gaze and nodded.  
“You sacrificed yourself.”  
It was weird that Gabriel seemed pleased by his answer, but the power dimmed a little and Sam felt like he could almost breathe again. 

“Gold star for the youngest Winchester. Pity only one of you got the brains.” He said switching back to Dean.   
“What is he talking about Sammy?” Dean looked between the two. He really didn’t like that they always seemed to leave him out of their conversations unless he interrupted. He didn’t realise it was exactly what happened to Sam when Cass was around. 

“You really didn’t think it through, did you Deano? You thought I could just waltz in there with my archangel blade and ice the devil?” Gabriel asked mockingly.  
Dean shrugged.   
“Well I didn’t know if you could, but yeh. Why?”  
Again Gabriel shook his head.  
“You even know what the apocalypse was?”   
Dean didn’t like his tone. He was treating him like a particularly stupid child. He thought about it for a second, but he still wasn’t seeing what he was obviously missing.  
“Yeh, some prize fight between your brothers.”  
Something niggled at him with the phrase, but he still wasn’t getting it. Gabriel was looking at him like he was waiting for something to click. Both Sam and Cass looked like they already knew exactly what it was. Cass finally took pity on him.

“Dean. Gabriel might not be as strong as Michael. But a fight between archangels would still have a devastating cost. Even if Gabriel were to lose, the amount of power in such a fight would, have decimated a large area, killed millions.”  
Dean looked at him in shock, and then back at Gabriel. He realised he should have thought about this earlier. All those times he’d been goading the archangel about fighting, and standing up to his brothers, he hadn’t even realised what he was saying. The whole point of avoiding saying yes to Michael had been to keep the planet safe from the destruction such a fight would cause. But he hadn’t even paused to consider that the same would happen with Gabriel. Which really, it should have been obvious. 

For moment, Dean imagined what it must have been like for Gabriel. Dean practically begging him for help, laying on the guilt, when he’d know there was no way he could fight without destroying them. Maybe even wanting to help, but being powerless. Dean looked at Gabriel in horror.

Gabriel started clapping.  
“Well look who finally got the joke.”   
“You mean to say you went in there with no plan to fight him?” Dean asked, tripping up on the details.  
“Yeh well. I guess I didn’t really think he’d kill me.” He muttered, half to himself.  
“What? Why?”  
“Because he was still my brother Dean. You think you could ever really kill Sam? You really believe he could ever kill you? Well me and Lucifer? We were that close once. I thought I could talk to him. He used to listen to me. But I guess he meant more to me than I did to him.” He finished bitterly. Both brothers flinched at that.

Dean had never heard the angel sound so sad. This was all getting too much. They needed a time out and to focus.  
“Alright, so what now. You’re refusing to help?”  
Gabriel considered him.  
“I didn’t say that. It’s gonna take me a few days to recharge. Then we’ll see.”

“Wait, so how come you’re all still juiced up. All the other angels got cut off?”  
Sam asked. He was curious.  
“I’m an archangel Sam. I was around long before heaven. I don’t get my power from there. How do you think Lucifer was still so strong after he fell? Strong enough to battle Michael with the full host behind him? When little Cassie here was weak as a feather after a few months of falling? We don’t run off heaven’s batteries. We run off the universe. As long as it’s still spinning, so am I. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go put up some better angel warding on your batcave.”

With that the conversation was over. But it seemed like the archangel was sticking around. They all went their separate ways to try and process what had just happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, that was much longer than I planned. I'm not sure how well it works, it seems to be mostly dialogue, but I hope you like it. 
> 
> Also, I always had issues with how easily Gabriel was taken out in the show, so I added my own explanation.


	7. Feelings are hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to try and deal with some of Sam's Angel induced PTSD. Some issues with consent and such are mentioned.

Sam walked into his room, intending to collapse on the bed only to find it was already occupied. Gabriel was lounging across it looking up at him as he froze in the doorway. He was tempted to turn and leave as the panic rose up, but he stood his ground. This was his room and he wasn’t leaving. 

Gabriel sat up on the edge of the bed and patted the spot beside him.   
“We need to talk.”

Sam looked down at him. His trademark grin was missing, and there was something warm in his gaze. Sam was still sorting impressions out in his head from the short time he’d been possessed. While Gabriel had said he hadn’t been in Sam’s head, Sam had felt Gabriel. Each angel’s grace had a distinct feeling, almost like a personality. Gabriel’s was…warm. He felt vastly more powerful than Gadreel, though not quite as strong as Lucifer. And while Lucifer had been burning cold, and Gadreel was like steel, Gabriel had been like sunshine, a warm golden light. It didn’t mean Sam had enjoyed it, or felt any less violated. But it meant that when Gabriel turned that warm golden gaze on him, he didn’t immediately suspect a trick. It was more like he’d let one layer of his mask slip. 

Still, Sam wasn’t going so far as to sit beside him. He settled for leaning against a wall instead.  
“So talk.” He said, slightly hostile as he absently picked up a knife from his desk to play with. Gabriel gave a slightly startled laugh.   
“Subtle. I like it.” He drawled with a smirk, and there was a twinkle there before he sobered again.   
“I want to say, I really am sorry about the whole forced possession thing.”  
“Yeh you said that already.” Sam gritted out. He didn’t want to talk about this. But he refused to run, and he knew he couldn’t make the angel leave. So he was going to just have to make it through whatever this was.   
“But I don’t think you believed me. So I wanted to do it properly. Without the Holy Oil and the yelling.”   
“Why do you care?” 

Sam wasn’t comfortable with the way the angel was looking at him and he shifted nervously. Gabriel seems to take the hint, dropping his gaze and leaning forward, looking down at his hands. He was silent for a long moment.   
“Heaven wasn’t always like this.” He started quietly. Sam looked down at him, surprised. Gabriel sounded almost…sad?  
“My brothers were good once. We fought together, and we loved each other. We trained the other angels, taught them, practically raised them, as much as you can raise a multidimensional waveform. There isn’t a single angel in heaven I didn’t know. But then you guys happened, and Luci threw his temper tantrum. Dad left. Micheal grew colder, almost fanatical and heaven didn’t feel like home any more. That’s when I left.”  
Sam didn’t break the silence. This was stuff he already knew, or at least guessed.   
“Seeing what my brothers became sucked. What they did to your brother and you goes against everything heaven is supposed to stand for. I might have run away but I never betrayed heaven. And I hate that I was forced on you.” 

Sam could hear the sincerity in his confession. He didn’t want to forgive him, and yet.  
“Look I get it. The spell gave consent and you didn’t know any different. At least you didn’t stick around long. Or make me do anything horrible.” He added bitterly. Gabriel finally looked up at him, surprised, but Saw was staring angrily down at the knife in his hands.  
“No, Sam. That spell wasn’t just about giving consent. It forced both of us. I didn’t have any more choice about it than you did. First thing I knew I was already there. Took seeing your brothers stupid face to even realise what happened.” 

It wasn’t the only thing he meant to talk about, but it was the most important. He needed Sam to trust him, or at least realise that he could. Sam finally looked at him.  
“You mean you didn’t…?”  
“Hell no. I like my own vessel just fine, and if I’d been brought over without one, I would have gone straight to it and rebuilt it. I didn’t need to play body snatcher. That was all in the magic.” 

Sam didn’t acknowledge it, but Gabriel saw him relax just a fraction and nodded to himself. That was the easy part dealt with. Now came the harder part.   
“So I got the cliff notes version. But what really happened? Dean said you jumped in the cage and Death pulled you out and patched you up. But something tells me that isn’t the whole story.”

Gabriel couldn’t have said why he cared so much. Except that, well, he’d been inside Sam. While he’d been truthful about staying out of his head (mostly) he’d still been in there and he knew it was all broken edges and a snarly mess. His soul was damaged, cracked and repaired in places. Clearly angels had done some healing, but they were clumsy and patchy. While Gabriel had cleared up any physical pains on his way out, the inside stuff? That took time and needed true consent. Something Sam was clearly unwilling to give. So Gabriel needed to get him to open up. And if anyone asked him why he was so intent on fixing the Winchester, he’d chalk it all up to guilt with a small dose of gratitude. He had brought him back after all, and it was Gabriel’s brothers who had done most of this damage. 

Sam meanwhile was still eyeing him with distrust.   
“Look, I appreciate the apology. I do. But that doesn’t mean I want to talk about this, especially with you.”  
Gabriel shook his head in frustration.  
“I’m trying to help you here Sammy. Someone’s tried to patch you up, but they’ve done a poor job. You’ve still got a lot of damage. By all rights, you shouldn’t even be walking and talking, let alone functioning like a person. The cage alone should have killed you.” Gabriel said flatly, angry and determined.

Sam was shaking slightly. He knew that everything was not ok. He put on a good show for Dean and Cass. He knew Cass had healed him as best as he could, both in the hospital and after Gadreel. But they’d been patch jobs at best. While Lucifer was no longer in his head, keeping him awake, there were still nightmares and panic attacks. He felt like a shell of a person. But that didn’t mean he wanted the archangel poking around in there.   
“No.” He growled. 

Gabriel stood up, frustrated. He missed the slight flinch from Sam.   
“I’m not asking you to let me heal you. But at least tell me what happened! I might be able to guide Cassie, or hell, maybe there’s something else out there that can pull you back together. But I won’t know unless you tell me.” He practically shouted. 

“You want to know what happened?” Sam yelled back, pretense at control gone now. He was afraid, afraid of the angry angel in front of him. He’d been ok while he was sitting across the room, but now he was too close, and he was mad. Instinct almost had Sam cowering, but he was too proud and too stubborn to go back to that. So instead he yelled, using anger to cover his fear. 

“I was in the cage for a year and a half. I don’t know how long that was in hell years, but it felt like an eternity. I was your brothers favourite toy and they liked to play rough. And then when I got out, our good friend Cass ripped down the wall in my head and I spent months thinking I was still in there, seeing Lucifer. It almost killed me. But at least he tried to fix it. And then Gadreel tricked me into saying yes, convincing Dean he just wanted to help. And then betrayed us for Metatron, and used me to kill Kevin. I had to have Crowley come in and get me out. Freaking Crowley. I’ve had more things in my head in the past few years than I want to count and I know all about ‘good intentions’. So forgive me if I don’t exactly jump at the chance to let something else in!” 

Sam was breathing heavily when he finished, and Gabriel was staring in shock. He should have gone to Cass, or Dean first. This was worse than he’d thought. Sam had been tricked, tortured and lied to by people he cared about, and ones with the best of intentions. He’d been expecting the hell trauma, and the damage done by the demon trials. But they hadn’t mentioned that Gadreel had been using Sam, or that Cass (Cass!) had knocked down Death’s wall, though now he thought about it, he hadn’t sensed it. Those two acts of betrayal would make this even harder. But they also made Gabriel more determined. Hearing what this man had been through, and knowing the wreckage of his soul, the fact that he was still fighting, still trying to save the world? It was enough to break anyone’s heart. 

He couldn’t help raising a hand to softly touch the side of Sam’s face. Nor did he miss the flinch, or the fine trembling that made evident the willpower Sam was using to remain still and not run, or push Gabriel away. But Gabriel didn’t back off. He looked Sam in the eye and said.   
“I’m sorry. For what my brothers have done. But I swear to you, I will do anything in my power to make it right.”   
Then he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sam is...really not ok.


	8. A little bit of Gabriel (in my kitchen)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some big brother bonding time. Actually, I just wanted to have Gabriel cooking.

Dean found Gabriel in the kitchen. He was muttering angrily and mixing something in a bowl. Something had clearly ticked him off. Dean planned to turn back around and leave when Gabriel spoke.  
“You left out some details.”  
He didn’t turn around or look at the eldest Winchester, but Dean knew there was no way he was leaving this room now. So he slid into a chair and watched the angel rummage through some cupboards.   
“How are you boys even still alive. There like, no food in here.” The angel snapped again angrily.   
“I mean, sure make yourself at home. Why are you even cooking?”  
“Thanks I will,” he said sweetly, before turning back angrily to open the fridge. “And because I’ve been dead for four years and I’m mad. So I’m cooking.”   
As if an archangel who had spoken with God and battled demons and monsters for millennia cooking in his kitchen was a normal thing. But Dean had a lot of practice at ignoring the seemingly awe-inspiring history of the things he’d hunted. He’d killed his own gods and demons and monsters, even Eve herself, the mother of them all. He’d been to heaven, hell and purgatory and survived. He was hunting a Knight of Hell, and had the Mark of Cain on his arm. There wasn’t much left that phased him. The trick was to treat them all like people. 

“So what did I miss out?” Dean asked carefully, wondering which of them had slipped, and why it was making Gabe break their kitchen.   
“Oh you know, just the fact that you let your angel buddies scramble your brothers eggs.”   
Dean didn’t need another reminder over that guilt. It had been riding him for years.  
“Cass made a mistake. Not saying it wasn’t a big mistake. But we moved past that. He sent himself crazy to make up for it. Literally. Dude was on my car covered in bees.”  
Gabriel took a moment to absorb that, trying to picture Dean’s face and wishing someone had a camera. He thought Cass must have done something to fix it. His little brother always had the best intentions. And besides, he wouldn’t be here in the hideout if the boys still held a grudge. Sam wouldn’t be here at all if someone hadn’t fixed it.   
“And Gadreel?”  
“Look, I was desperate man. Angels were falling and Cass was gone, Sammy was dying. So yeh, I sent out an open invitation for whoever could come fix him up. I know, it was wrong and stupid, but he’s my little brother. I had to do something. Guy turned up calling himself Ezekiel. Cass said he was one of the good ones and he was saying he could fix Sam from the inside. It was wrong to trick him, but Death was there dude. Like the actual horseman. I couldn’t lose my brother, not again.” 

Gabriel had turned to stare at Dean as he spoke, and he gave a low whistle and shook he head.  
“You Winchesters. You still haven’t learned a damned thing have you? I tried to teach Sam this lesson. Maybe I should have used you instead. Your brother is not more important than the universe Dean.”  
Dean couldn’t help shaking his head. That was easy for him to say.   
“I get it alright. I know I screwed up.”  
Gabriel turned back to his cooking.   
“Can you help him?”   
Dean asked tentatively. Sam did a good job of hiding it, but he knew his brother was only just holding it together. Hell, they both were.   
“I’m going to try.” Was the only reply. Dean nodded. That was going to have to be good enough. Then he cleared his throat. Now was probably a bad time, asking for another favour. But he didn't think Gabriel would be impressed if things just 'happened' to crop up over time. Better to be up front.

"So, what do you know about Knights of Hell?" He asked, hoping to ease into it, but the look he got said Gabriel saw right through him.   
"I swear, it's never just one thing with you boys is it? No, you just want me to take down "God", fix Sam's brain, which lets face it, the kids never been normal in his life, and just pop on over to take down one of the oldest Demons in creation. Just a casual Tuesday right?"   
He finished with a small grin at Dean and the man was smart enough to take it as the warning it was. Dean knew he'd picked that day for a reason.   
Gabriel ran a hand through his hair and leaned against the bench, really focusing on Dean properly for the first time.   
"Look, Dean-"

He froze. 

"Oh you didn't."  
All the colour had left his face and Gabriel was suddenly on edge, wafting power again, even more than earlier.   
"Of all the stupid, idiotic, brainless- Do you have any idea what that thing is? Or what you've done? I should smite you where you stand, except we both know that's impossible! Where did you even get it!!"

There weren't words for how furious Gabriel was. Any pretence at the laid back trickster or even the warm angel was gone. He was livid, and scared and there was no more pretending. Dean fell back as he was knocked down onto the floor by an invisible blow. He was afraid of the archangel for the first time. Sam and Cass were always respectful around him, at least since they found out who he was, but Dean hadn't cared much. Now he could see what it was that had had Cass on his knees earlier. Gabriel was a force of nature. But a life time of standing up to things bigger and scarier than he was had him acting out.   
"Me and Crowley paid a little visit to Cain. He said the mark and the blade could kill a knight of hell. He wanted me to kill Abaddon."

Gabriel just stared down at him. So many responses to that.  
"And why didn't he just kill her himself?"   
"He took a vow. Not to kill anything anymore."  
That gave Gabriel an idea. If he could just...He fixed Dean with a glare.  
"Alright. This one, I'm going to fix. But only because you can't do it yourself without destroying the universe. And then I'm going to make you pay for it. And I mean pay."   
With that he turned back to the stove. Dean climbed back into his chair staring at the little angel who had somehow seemed to take up the whole room only moment earlier. He knew he was pressing his luck, but he had to be sure.  
"You mean you'll kill her?" He asked, hesitating.  
"What? Oh yeh I guess I could. Although why you didn't just use the archangel blade I don't know. Would have worked just fine. Probably get one of you killed though, and we know how well that works out, so I guess I should." Gabriel said absently, still taking an internal inventory and planning.   
"What were you talking about then?" Dean said confused. Gabriel looked him dead in the eye.   
"I'm getting that mark off your arm."


	9. Stargazing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a little bit of Destiel.

Dean found Cass outside. He’d left the fuming archangel in the kitchen, distracted and muttering to himself about Winchesters, so Dean beat a hasty retreat. But seeing Gabriel’s reaction had unnerved him a little. He’d known the mark was a big deal. Everyone knew the story of Cain and Able. But he hadn’t expected that level of reaction from the guy. He’d seemed more concerned about the mark than Abaddon. Which had Dean worried. 

The fact that he’d also driven home the point about an archangel blade didn’t help. In fact now he thought about it, Dean wasn’t sure why they hadn’t thought of alternatives before. Or how much Crowley had manipulated him into this. Either way, now he wanted to see Cass. Gabriel had seen the mark on him just by looking. He didn’t want to think Cass had done the same and just ignored him. So he went looking for his angel. 

Castiel was watching the stars. It was safer here now, with the extra protections laid down by Gabriel. Seeing his Father’s creations, the beauty in the universe helped soothe him sometimes. Other times, like now, he wished for something else. 

As if summoned by his thoughts, Dean appeared beside him. He gave him a small nod before settling against the wall beside him.  
“How you doing Cass?”  
Castiel turned to face him. There was still that subtle wrongness around Dean, but they’d been so distracted with the angels and finding Gabriel that he hadn’t asked. It was like a subtle thrumming, impossible to miss.   
“I’m ok.” Was his reply, finally. 

Dean watched him carefully. It was obvious he was lying. But he wasn’t really here for Cass. Not right now. First he needed to tell him.   
“Look, I ah, I should have told you earlier, but well. Gabriel saw it and he freaked out. So I guess it’s kind of a big deal.”  
Cass looked over curious, as Dean rolled up his sleeve. When Cass saw the mark, he grabbed Dean’s arm in reflex, and looked up at him.   
“Dean.”  
He said nothing but his name. 

They just looked at each other. Dean felt like he could drown in that gaze. It was always intent, always focused, and so uniquely Cass. Jimmy hadn’t looked anything like Castiel. Even when Cass was human he kept that uniqueness about him. It had been missing when the Leviathan were inside, and it had been Dean’s biggest tell that his friend was gone. It held him steady, and left him breathless. So he needed to breathe and move away, take his arm back, get some space. It was what he always did. 

“Yeh look, Gabriel already said he’ll get rid of it. You don’t need to give me the lecture too. I just wanted you to hear it from me.”  
Even though he wasn’t looking at him, he could still feel that intense stare on his face. But he didn’t protest. Just shifted subtly beside him.   
“Thank you Dean. I appreciate that.”   
Another time he might have upbraided the man for his recklessness. Because didn’t he realise that without him Cass would have nothing? Instead they both just turned their faces to the stars and gazed into the universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok guys, sorry if that was awkward. I've never really been able to make these two fit, but I'll do my best.


	10. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam is still not ok. Nightmares.

They all mutually agreed by unspoken consensus to spend a few days in. There were no immediate cases for Sam and Dean to work on. Gabriel was planning something, though he wouldn’t share the details. Cass had tried to catch him alone a few times to talk, but he was avoiding it. Instead, Gabriel spent most of his time with Sam. 

After their discussion, Sam was nervous around Gabriel in a different way. The angel always seemed to have taken a personal interest in him, and Sam wasn’t sure how he felt about that. But he’d never been sure just how personal it was. He’d been able to feel that phantom touch on his cheek long after Gabriel left the room, and it cast a slightly different light on his usual flirting. The idea that the angel might actually be interested in him was….disconcerting. For so many reasons. 

Sam tried to ignore it, and react normally. He was used to Cass being around. That was different. But having a strange angel in the bunker had him on edge, and it left him a little jumpy. His new awareness of the edge to his interest just made it a little harder to ignore him. 

Gabriel for his part was trying to work towards desensitizing Sam, just a little. He didn’t want to leave him alone. If he thought either his brother or Dean would have been useful to him, he’d have let them handle it. But they were both so deeply mired in their own messes that neither of them were in a position to help Sam. So he started small. Making sure he ate. Not letting him sit in his room alone. Being his usual, bright and engaging self to coax small smiles out of him. Persistence and effort paid off. He was aware that Sam was still uncomfortable around him. But he didn’t flinch when he flopped down on the couch beside him, though he did move further away. Baby steps. It was a delicate balancing act of pushing enough to make progress and knowing when to back off to make sure Sam knew he was still in control. 

The first time he made Sam laugh, his real laugh, the one that was full and open, not just the sudden huff of breath, Gabriel felt like it was real progress. After all, the wounds inside were as much mental as metaphysical and building one would help the other. It took three days before Sam would casually walk past him, and by day four, he was comfortable sitting down on the couch where Gabriel was already sitting. He knew because he was keeping track. 

For Sam’s part, he relaxed reluctantly. The truth was that before the resurrection had gone so horribly wrong, Sam had been ok with Gabriel. He’d understood what had happened in the hotel better than Dean. Though he still held a grudge for mystery spot, even that could be forgiven, due to the circumstances. If it weren’t for the accidental possession Sam might have even enjoyed spending time with Gabriel. He actual liked the guy, though he’d never admit that to Dean. He was clever and witty, and amusing. Something about the angel seemed light and easy, taking away some of the darkness in Sam. 

But nothing could change the nightmares. He’d been having them for years, first Lucifer, now recently joined by dreams of killing Kevin, often also Dean, images not even needing to be created, but remembered from the cemetery as he’d watched his own hands beat the life out of his brother, unable to stop it. And while there was no flash of gold in those dreams, there was still the screaming, sobbing, broken mess he’d became when he realised he was being possessed again. He’d been reduced to a howling animal in his mind by his powerlessness. It didn’t matter that Gabriel had freed him, or that it had been forced on both sides. He’d still been trapped. 

The fourth night since Gabriel’s resurrection, Sam was tossing and turning. The nightmares were coming, layering one over the other, older images of Lucifer and the cage being layered with Gadreel, and his broken grace. Someone shook him awake and for a moment he clung to them, thinking it was Dean, come to wake him. But when a much smaller hand landed softly on his head, he scrambled back, eyes wide with fear. In this half sleeping moment, he was vulnerable, missing the layers of control he normally wore, still half in the nightmare and even as he recognized the golden eyes, he was pushing back, huddling into the corner and shaking with fear.

Gabriel watched the change with shock and sadness. He could see the fear and panic, along side the recognition. It didn’t matter that it was Gabriel. It didn’t matter the progress they’d made. Sam was afraid of him, and it didn’t take a genius to work out why. He’d just never realised how bad it was. He wanted to do something, to comfort him, to reach out. But anything he could do would only make it worse. Right now, Sam needed to come first. It was a selfish impulse to want to pull him closer when all Sam wanted was to get away. So he stood up and backed off, hands raised non-threateningly. But he didn’t leave. 

“Sam. Look at me.” It was quiet and soft, drawing his attention. Of course he was already looking at him, but he needed him to focus. He waited until Sam really focused on him, pulling himself together again.  
“I’m leaving, ok? But I’m gonna get your brother in here. I’ll give you a minute to pull yourself back together. But then you gotta talk to him alright?”

He didn’t give him time to answer. Or more likely argue. The kid was not alright, as much as he liked to pretend, and he needed someone right now. A knock and a few words was all that was needed to have Dean down the hallway. Gabriel didn’t stick around to listen.

The next day Gabriel kept his distance. It was frustrating. Sam was back to being uncomfortable and after what he’d seen, he didn’t want to push anymore. The poor kid was scared out of his mind, and all Gabriel could see was that sobbing mess that had been Sam when he was in his head. He hadn’t really understood until then that it had been as much a reaction to him as to everything that had happened. So when Sam flinched at breakfast he wasn’t surprised. It looked an awful lot like square one, except this time, he didn’t know where to look for the rest of the board.  



	11. Can you hear the (horn)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And eventually actual plot appears. Sorry guys, I know I get too bogged down in the feelings and reactions. It's a problem.

Castiel waited patiently to confront his brother again. He respected Gabriel, but he couldn’t leave it alone. Every time he went out and met another angel, heard their stories about friends they’d lost, battles they’d fought, he was reminded again of what he needed to save. But for that he needed Gabriel.

The smaller angel seemed to know that Cass was trying to catch him alone. He was always around Sam or sometimes Dean, or he’d disappear as soon as Cass approached. Finally after a few of days, and a particularly bad meeting, Cass took the direct approach. Gabriel was in the kitchen with Sam, arguing about food, something about Sam never eating sweets. He seemed to prefer following the younger Winchester, either unaware or not caring about how uncomfortable Sam was having him around. Even Castiel could see that. But then he knew Sam very well. 

“Sam, do you mind if I talk to Gabriel? Alone?” he asked, focusing on his brother, ignoring the questioning glance Sam threw at him.  
“Ah yeh, sure. You want me to leave?” Sam should have been offended, but he’d watched Cass watching Gabriel for the past few days, and he knew how badly the guy wanted to convince his brother to help. Hell, they all wanted to convince him. But he didn’t stick around long if anyone brought it up. Sam didn’t hold out much hope that this direct approach would work. 

Cass nodded shortly, and Sam shrugged and left. Gabriel watched him go before looking back to Cass.  
“What’s up, bro?” he asked casually turning towards the fridge. He wasn’t looking for anything in particular, just fidgeting to avoid that too earnest blue gaze. He was already in a bad mood and this was a bad time. 

“We need your help to stop Metatron. He is gathering forces, killing any who don’t follow him. And he is calling himself the new God.”  
Gabriel closed the door with a snap and faced his brother, lounging against the bench, but despite his attempt at casual there was a warning in his posture and his tone was angry.  
“Oh yeh? Seems to be going around. What about you Cass? Why shouldn’t I just end you here and now? You’ve killed more angels than anyone else combined, and that includes Metatron.”  
His face and voice were uncharacteristically hard.  
“I have made mistakes. But I can’t change that now. I have told you, if you want to punish me, do it. I will accept your judgement. But do not abandon our brothers and sisters. They need you.” He walked towards his brother, ignoring what Dean called ‘personal space’.  
The look he got was indecipherable. Castiel had never been great at reading people, and Gabriel was even harder than most, layers of pain and sadness and anger buried beneath tricks and smiles and a cunning edge. Castiel wanted something more than words. He was never good at words. Actions were his forte. 

“Come with me. Please. I want to show you something.”  
Gabriel sighed.  
“Look Cass I know you mean well. You always have. But-.”  
“Please. Just come with me.” Cass was practically begging, cutting across the archangel in desperation. Gabriel looked up at him and sighed again. Who could say no to that face?  
“Fine. Where are we going?”  
Castiel gave him the address. “I want to show you what Metatron has done.”  
Gabriel snapped, following Castiel's direction and they found themselves in a dirty, underground room, the place where Castiel had last seen the Horn of Gabriel activated. 

Castiel watched as Gabriel moved into the room. The bodies of dead vessels were still strewn across the floor, wings burned black against the ground, more than a dozen slaughtered like animals. The small angel stopped in the middle of the room and stared at the symbol on the wall. He half reached out to touch it but dropped his hand. Both stood still and silent for a long time.

Finally Gabriel turned to face Cass. His face burned with an incandescent rage and power seemed to roll off him. The shadows moved and twisted. This was no act of power; his wings were not on display. This was simply the fury of an archangel, too powerful to be fully contained within his vessel. For the first time Cass truly saw the brother of Michael and Lucifer. 

“Find me a way in to heaven.”

And then he was gone.


	12. Remember When?

It took hours before Gabriel returned, and when he did, he slammed in, still bristling with anger and swept past all of them. The three were sitting at the table trying to plan, but as the angel walked past them and into the back, they looked at each other. Dean was the one who broke the silence.   
“Someone should probably talk to him…” He trailed off, but he was looking at Castiel. To his surprise though, it was Sam who responded.   
“I’ll go.”

Dean studied him carefully. He’d been keeping an eye on his brother since the night Gabriel had woken him up to talk to Sam. He’d got the wall he’d pretty much expected, but he’d still seen enough to be concerned. And so he’d noticed how Sam almost flinched every time Gabriel moved. Now he was volunteering to go wrangle the angry angel? Something wasn’t adding up.   
“You sure? I can take it.” He protested. But Sam just stood up and walked out. Cass and Dean shared another, very different look this time. 

Sam was…confused. After he’d woken up properly and realised what had happened, he’d been ashamed. He didn’t want anyone to see him like that. So he’d shut Dean out. Winchesters didn’t talk about their feelings (except of course when they did, but that had not been one of those times). 

He didn’t fail to notice the new space Gabriel was giving him. Where before he’d seemed to be working to deliberately get closer, now he was keeping his distance, barely even staying in the same room for longer than necessary. And rather than relieved, Sam was feeling a little bereft. He’d got used to the constant company in a short few days. With Dean and Cass caught in their own drama, he had liked having someone around to just hang out. Now that was gone, he realised just how much he’d enjoyed the angel’s company. 

Besides, Sam had never been one to let anything set his limits but him. He hadn’t dragged Lucivision around hunting for months because he was a push over. Logically he knew Gabriel didn’t mean him any harm. Hell, if he’d wanted to hurt them, he could have blasted them all off the face of the earth by now. And if he’d wanted Sam, well he could have kept him. But he had his own vessel, one he’d gone to the trouble of piecing back together. So yeh, Sam knew his fear was irrational. And being the stubborn Winchester he was, he was damned if he was going to let it control him. 

He knocked politely on the door before he walked in to find Gabriel sitting with his head in his hands. He didn’t look up as he said,  
“Go away.”  
Sam shifted awkwardly, but didn’t leave.  
“Hey, I just wanted to see if you were ok?”   
Gabriel looked up at him quickly.  
“Hey Sam. It’s ok, you don’t need to be here. I’m alright.”   
Sam snorted and deliberately went and sat next to him.  
“Yeh, keep telling yourself that. What’s up?” 

Gabriel eyed him suspiciously, but wasn’t about to bring it up. In fact he very much didn’t want to deal with any more pain today. So instead he just buried his face in his hands again. 

“I found the others. All of them.” He intoned softly.  
Sam didn’t need to ask what he was talking about. Castiel had already filled them in. But there was something that needed saying, even if it was likely to hurt.   
“I thought you said you weren’t going to help?”  
“Doesn’t mean I don’t care.” He knew what Sam was asking. And really he couldn’t blame him. Castiel had told him their siblings were dying and he’d said he wouldn’t help. It wasn’t unreasonable to assume that meant he didn’t care. 

“Do you know why Lucifer was in the cage?” he asked suddenly. Sam was a little thrown by the topic change, but he nodded.   
“Yeh, I mean he rebelled right?”   
Gabriel shook his head.  
“I don’t mean what he did to get put there. I mean, did he ever tell you why he was put in there in the first place instead of being killed?”   
Sam thought about it, but it had never come up. Lucifer had liked to talk about how wronged he was for being imprisoned, but he’d never mentioned why the cage had existed in the first place. Surely it would have been easier just to kill him. He shook his head. Gabriel was watching him through his hands.

“Killing an angel is the highest level of treason in heaven. It’s not to be done under any circumstances. Or at least it’s not supposed to be. Obviously things got a little lax around the apocalypse.” He added bitterly.   
“But Cass-“  
“Has killed dozens. And that’s without the ones in heaven with the Leviathan. I know.” Gabriel dropped his hands, but kept his face turned down.   
“I’ve always kept out of the fighting. Because I hated it. Monsters and demons aren’t so bad. But fighting my brothers? It was why I left in the first place. Killing them? It still feels wrong, even if I’m the only one who thinks so.” 

Sam looked down at the little angel. He didn’t know what to say. Gabriel hadn’t been in heaven for millennia before the apocalypse and he’d died not long after. He hadn’t been around for the fight with Raphael, or the Leviathan, or Naomi. Sam felt a little sick wondering how he’d react when he found out about that. Clearly the heaven Gabriel used to know had been a better, fairer one, perhaps more like the traditional human version of heaven, where angels were good and kind, and didn’t try to torture and kill. And maybe that was the answer. 

“That’s why you have to fight.” Sam said finally. “Because you need to take it back and remind them of how it’s supposed to be. Remind them how to be angels again.”   
“I haven’t been an angel for a long time Sam. Not really.”  
“Neither have they.” Sam countered. “It was probably one of the worst parts of finding out about Lucifer and the apocalypse. Because the angels, the ones who were supposed to be the good guys? They were worse than Lucifer ever was, at least before. He never tried to hurt Dean or me. The first time we found out Dean was Michael’s vessel? They gave him cancer and took away my lungs until Cass stopped them.” 

Gabriel finally looked up at him in horror.   
“They tortured you? For consent?” His voice reflecting the same horror in his eyes. Sam nodded again.   
“Yeh. I think that might even be why God brought Cass back. Because if he hadn’t, we would have never got away.”  
Gabriel’s hands had balled into fists and Sam was surprised to see he was shaking. Without even thinking about it he reached out and lay a hand over one of Gabriel’s. He felt the angel stiffen and then lean in ever so slightly, determinedly not looking at him. But he stopped shaking. 

“I thought with Michael it was better. He at least cared for the rules, even if he didn’t care why.” Gabriel said softly, carefully opening his hand, and twinning their fingers together. Sam likewise was pretending to focus on the conversation, and not all the places they were touching. He hadn’t intended this, and still wasn’t sure how he felt. But the archangel was clearly in pain and upset, and Sam wanted to help him. If this was helping, so be it. 

“I don’t know if he really knew what was going on. Or at least he didn’t want to get his own hands dirty. We only really met him once before the end. He saved me from Anna and put our family back together again.”  
“Family?”  
“Anna went back in time to kill our parents before we were born. We went back to stop her.” Sam half smiled at the memory. Even though he’d died, it was also the only memory he had of his parents together. That was something he could be grateful for. Gabriel however didn’t find it so amusing.   
“Not really helping there Sammy. She should have known better. You can’t really change the past. It would have been a paradox anyway.”  
“So time travel’s more Lewis than multiverse?” Sam joked.  
“Something like that.” It was the first time he’d smiled since Sam came in. They were both silent for a while, neither one really willing to move, or break the silence. But finally Gabriel stood up, pulling himself away from the Winchester.  
“I guess it’s time to tell you all my plan.” He said as they both walked out of the room.


	13. Once upon a time (in the beginning)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Story time based on season 11.

Gabriel swept back into the room, with Sam trailing him quietly, and threw himself into a chair next to his brother.  
“Alright kids, listen up. You brought me back to help and I will. But you’ll owe me forever and we’re doing it my way. Deal?”  
He eyed them all for a moment, but cut across Dean before he could speak.  
“No. You don’t get to say anything. In fact, I aught to smack you with a newspaper every time you do. Maybe then you’ll stop trying to end the world.”  
Dean glared back at him.  
“Hey, I never-“  
“Never what? Started apocalypse now? Or did you forget who broke the first seal?” He held Dean’s stare until the hunter was forced to drop it before he continued.  
“At least these two only started a war. Or at least in Sam’s case tried to end one, but details. You might’ve destroyed the universe.”  
Again Dean tried to speak, but Gabriel snapped and there was duct tape across his mouth.  
“Nope, I told you, you don’t get to talk. Now listen. I want Metatron gone. But we’re not killing him. Him or anyone else. There’s been enough blood shed in heaven.” He said seriously, mostly looking at Castiel, but throwing a short glance at Sam.  
“But before that, we need to take care of That.” He said, looking at Dean’s arm with disgust. Castiel followed his gaze, also looking down at the arm beside him.

“What is it brother? Why does the mark bother you so much? And why is it more important than Metatron?” Cass asked seriously, but with just enough defiance that Gabriel glared at him, but also considered more of an explanation than he’d planned. It was dangerous information in a way, something from before the earth had even existed. 

But he also wanted to impress on them all how dangerous the mark was, and maybe drill it into Dean’s thick skull that finding something more powerful than the powerful thing you’ve pissed off only leads to escalating problems. Ten years ago the worst thing they’d had to deal with were ghosts, werewolves and the occasional demons. To go from that to Lucifer, Abaddon and the whole host of heaven was a product of massive escalation of force from the brothers. 

“I don’t suppose you know where the mark came from do you Cassie?”  
Castiel shook his head.  
“God gave that mark to Lucifer back at the beginning. That mark is part of what corrupted him. Oh sure humanity might have been the thing that finally triggered it, but that thing had been slowly eating away at him for millennia before that happened. And then he passed it on to Cain.”  
“But what is it?” Sam asked. Gabriel smiled a little to himself. That was the real question now wasn’t it?  
“It’s a key to a very old prison. As long as the mark is around, the door stays shut.”  
“So what’s in there?”  
“Something very old and very powerful that Dad made the four of us to help him fight. We are his oldest existing creations, and we were made to fight the darkness along side him. If she ever got out, the universe would be toast. And I do mean the universe. Not the planet, not heaven or hell, everything. Ever. Even if we had Michael and Lucifer back, and even assuming they’d help, the three of us would never be enough to hold it. We’d need Dad back to even try. So we’re not gonna mess with it! I’m going to put that thing back where it came from before we go anywhere near Metatron.”

Castiel was looking at Dean like he wanted to smack him, and Sam wasn’t much better. Meanwhile Dean was still glaring at him trying to speak, and Gabriel rolled his eyes and took off the duct tape.  
“What about Abaddon?” He growled out at him. Gabriel looked at him with exasperation.  
“What about her? She’s the least of your problems right now. But fine, yes, you run into her, send me a prayer, I’ll take care of it. But right now, that thing is a far bigger problem than she will ever be.”  
“How are you going to find Cain?” Sam cut in, before Dean could make any reply, giving his brother a hard look.

“He’s warded up tight, I can’t find him right now. So I’m gonna have to pop back in time, to where Dean met him. I can’t stop him from taking the mark, too big a paradox, but I can grab Cain once he’s gone.”  
He was actually pretty pleased with his solution, but they all looked at him with varying degrees of incredulity. Castiel was the one who spoke.  
“Are you sure you can make it?”  
Gabriel sighed.  
“Archangel. I swear one day I’m gonna make you sit down and read the rule book. Which is basically a piece of paper that says ‘I do what I want’.”  
Sam and Dean looked at each other confused, but Castiel met his eye with a small smile.  
“I understood that reference.”  
Both Winchesters looked at the angel in surprise, then back at the archangel.  
“Don’t worry boys, you’ll have all the time in the world to catch up on mindless television when we’ve pieced the world back together.” Gabriel assured them. 

“Why do we have to do it first. Doesn’t it make sense to keep the mark until after Metatron and Abaddon are taken out?” Dean continued to protest. This time though, Gabriel really looked at him, shifting his vision slightly until it wasn’t just his body he could see through his vessels eyes, but Dean’s soul, using a sense that was purely archangel. What he saw didn’t surprise him, but it was concerning.

“That mark already has too big a hold on you Dean. And what do you think happens if you die with it? You think it’s just gonna let go? No. I’m not letting you fight the big fights until that thing is gone, because you won’t be you with it. You’ll kill when you could disable, you’ll go for the easy win instead of thinking things through and walk face first into any trap they set for you. And if you die, which, not gonna lie Deano, you probably will, you won’t just die, you’ll become the thing you’re hunting.”  
Sam was the first to click, partly because he’d seen what the mark was doing to his brother, and he was already worried.  
“The mark turns you into a demon?”  
“Correctamundo. Gold star for Sammy. You win the prize of not having to cure your demon brother while he’s trying to rip your face off.”  
The brothers shared an uneasy look. Dean had suspected it might be true, and hearing his worst fear confirmed and the idea of Sam having to go through that was enough to kill any more protests. Because despite everything, he knew Sam would do whatever it took to get him back. And he couldn’t do that to Sam. 

Gabriel watched the brothers, and knew that argument was over. There was just one thing left to do before he went to find Cain. So leaning over he smacked first Dean, then Sam over the head. They both cussed and glared at him.  
“What the hell Gabe!” Dean exclaimed, while Sam rubbed his head. 

“That is for you two idiots letting Abaddon out in the first place. Oh yes, let’s do the demon trials. Which,” he smacked them both quickly again before they could react, “was a terrible idea. But no, it wasn’t enough to ‘cure’ a demon. You couldn’t just find a grunt and work on them. Of course not. You had to dig up the most powerful one you could think of. And then when she escaped, you went for the King of Hell! Why Winchesters? Why do you always make things harder for yourselves?” 

Sam at least had the grace to look sheepish. Dean was as arrogant as ever, but Gabriel knew getting through to him was a lost cause.  
“Whatever. Just tell me where and when you met Cain, and we’ll start cleaning up this mess.”  
Dean reluctantly gave him the details and Gabriel snapped himself back in time, to find the father of murder, the one who started the long chain that led right back to the Winchesters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like it so far. Feel free to comment. Suggestions are always welcome.
> 
> For anyone who wants to know where the 'I do what I want' reference is from, it's Parks and Rec. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzEOHNmfa_0


	14. Old Acquaintances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel has a 'chat' with Cain.

It was hard watching as Dean left the house. Gabriel was tempted just to grab him, shove him back inside and fix this right here. But he knew that wouldn’t work. The laws of time travel were fairly vague. Nothing would immediately stop you if you went back to interact with your own past. But things had a way of working out the same. Besides, not only was it a problem with logic, it was also a matter of free will. You got to choose your actions in this life. But you had to live with the consequences. There weren’t usually any do-overs or fix-its. You made a mess you had to clean it up yourself. Not just pop back and erase it. 

What Gabriel was doing skirted very close to that line. While time travel was technically cheating, he wasn’t trying to change things that happened. Worst case, he’d throw a marker on Cain that he could follow when he went back. He’d been able to sense a few out in the world before he’d left, and he hoped one of them was him. Otherwise he might have already failed. 

As Dean climbed into his car, Gabriel laid down a barrier around the property, nothing in or out. He couldn’t risk losing Cain now, when it was the only place he knew where he’d be. Then he headed for the door. He went for his usually understated melodrama, breezing into the guy’s kitchen and taking a seat while Cain started and glared threateningly. 

“Seem to be getting a lot of visitors today.”  
“Hey Cain. Been looking for you.” Gabriel said smoothly. His nonchalance wasn’t quite an act, after all, first Demon or not, this guy was still below his pay grade. But not by much and he’d been around a while. It wouldn’t do to be too careless. It was part of the reason he’d waited a few days to make sure he was back at full power before he tried this. It wasn’t just about the time travel, which was pretty rough. 

“What do you want?”  
Cain knew who he was. One of the few to recognize him on sight. After all, he’d been around a bit back in the day.   
“I see you met Dean. Well I’m here to give you back what you just gave him.”  
Cain looked at him suspiciously.  
“What makes you think I’d take it back?” He asked threateningly.  
“What makes you think you get a choice?” Gabriel replied breezily. He didn’t need to threaten. Threats implied choice. Cain was still watching him, assessing. Gabriel was watching just as carefully, though being far less obvious about it. They were both silent.

“Rumour was you died.” Cain was the first to break.   
“Why Cain, I never knew you cared.” Gabriel replied with a smirk.   
“Rumour also says heaven is closed for business.” Cain continued, ignoring his response. More fool him. Gabriel was watching him, waiting for it. But there was a point to be made here. And he was sooooo sick of people underestimating him. Just because he’d never thrown a tantrum that rocked heaven, or led the host of heaven. He vaguely wondered if Raphael had ever had to deal with this nonsense.

So when the blow came, rather than stop the demon from moving, Gabriel let him come, twisting his arm around with one hand and with the other sending on open palmed blow to the centre of his chest. In a human it would have obliterated them. As it, was it sent Cain flying back into the wall, where he was pinned down by Gabriel, an invisible force holding him captive.

Gabriel’s eye glowed, and thunder crashed. His face twisted, turning cruel and angry and his wings unfurled spreading dark across the wall, blocking out the light, too big to be contained by the room. Beneath their feet the ground trembled. This place was warded so well the archangel was free to let himself go, just a little, without drawing Metatron’s attention and isolated enough he didn’t worry about any stray human casualties as a sudden storm kicked up around the house. 

“You dare. You think you could hurt me? ME?” his voice boomed, louder than the thunder. Cain looked up, fear on his face and for a moment the archangel drank it in. It wasn’t just the pagan God who could be cruel and capricious. While he was generally easy going and relaxed, with the exception of God and perhaps Metatron with the angel tablet, he was currently the most powerful being in the universe and he deserved respect. 

“Do not ever presume to think that I am helpless without heaven.” He said heavily. With that, he grabbed the Demon in front of him and snapped them both back to the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments are appreciated. Hope you like this one, I like the idea of Gabriel getting to blow off some steam. Cass isn't the only one who gets to be angely.


	15. Passing Remarks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel gets stuff done.

Gabriel pulled himself back in before he hit the bunker with Cain in tow. He didn’t want to vaporize his boys after all. He shoved Cain down into a chair in the main room and bound him there. Both Sam and Dean came running when they heard the noise and Dean froze when he saw Cain. Sam’s attention was on Gabriel.

“You got him?” Sam tried to keep the disbelief out of his voice, but failed. Gabriel rolled his eyes.  
“When is it gonna get through to people that I’m more than just a pretty face?” He said, just a little annoyed. Sam got a pass, because he wasn’t trying to be disrespectful. Or stab him for that matter, at least not right now. That had been Cain’s mistake. 

“Right, well we got him. So how’s this work?” Dean said gruffly. Clearly there’d been a conversation while he was gone, because he hadn’t expected Dean to be this accepting.   
“Dean. I thought we had a deal.” Cain was watching them all carefully, but mostly Dean. He was back to being polite, but Gabriel just rolled his eyes.   
“Yeh well, that was before I knew what it was gonna cost me.” Dean answered, with a look at Sam. That got Cain’s attention.  
“Sam.” Cain acknowledge with a small nod. Sam just glared back at him and replied with that angry head tilt he did.  
“Cain.” 

“Alright good, we all know each other.” Gabriel cut in. He stepped between Sam and Cain.   
“Right, Cain I have a deal for you.”  
“What are you, a demon now?”   
Gabriel growled at him.   
“You know very well what I am.” The room brightened slightly and there was a subtle rumbling as he slipped just a little. Sam and Dean both made noises of surprise behind him, and he cut the theatrics. He threw a quick look over his shoulder to check on Sam. He’d actually forgotten about that. It had been reckless to be showing his power. But he was surprised to see there was no fear in Sam’s eyes. There was something indecipherable, but it definitely wasn’t fear. So Gabriel turned back to focus on Cain. 

“Here’s the deal. You take back the Mark. I give you Abaddon’s head on a plate. And you swear to keep your vow.”  
Cain looked at him for a long minute. Gabriel didn’t know why, it wasn’t like he ever let anything show on his face that he didn’t want. Angel’s tended to under rather than over express. It took purpose and concentration to move their vessels features into what they were feeling. It took intent. Even Gabriel, who’d had thousands of years to adjust could keep himself well hidden if he chose. But Cain must have seen something there. It didn’t occur to Gabriel that he was out of practice dealing with beings that could see his grace. 

“You want me to swear a vow not to break a vow I swore?” He said finally.   
“No. I want you to swear to me not to break it.” Gabriel said harshly. “And trust me when I say, I know how to make you keep it.”   
Cain merely nodded.  
“And what happened to not having a choice?” Cain asked, still composed.  
“I can slap that thing back on you without your permission if I have to. But I’d prefer you take it willingly. You’ve managed this long with it, you can handle it.”

There was a lot in that he wasn’t saying, but he was hoping Cain would understand. If he forced the mark back onto him, it would be done with resentment and anger. It would make it easier for the marks corruptive influence to reach him, and Cain would be no better off than Dean right now. Ideally Gabriel wanted it on someone who had control. He didn’t need to say that if it came down to it, he had no problem locking Cain away somewhere he could never escape. Maybe even throw him in the cage with Lucifer. It would be fitting after all. He couldn’t do that to Dean. 

“You’ll bring me her head?” Cain said after another long pause.  
“Gift wrapped if you like. And you know I can.” Gabriel replied cheerfully stepping back. Cain shrugged.  
“I didn’t make it this long without learning to pick my battles.”  
“Excellent. Dean?” 

Both brothers were staring at him. Gabriel took a moment to enjoy the sensation of leaving the Winchesters dumbstruck.   
“Over here.” He said, snapping his fingers, but only in the ordinary way.   
“Yeh, ok.” He said moving forward and rolling up his sleeve. Gabriel released the pressure enough for Cain to lift his own.  
“How do you know this is even going to work?” Dean said, distrustfully.   
“Always with the doubt Dean. One day you’re gonna trust me.”  
Dean snorted at that.   
“Yeh right. Lets just get this over with.”   
The two clasped hands and started the transfer. Gabriel might have subtly helped move it along, containing it and ensuring it passed smoothly back to Cain, but mostly the mark moved itself. Which was a good sign. 

When it was finished, Dean fell backwards and Gabriel was considerate enough to put a chair under him to fall into. He was practically a saint at this point. Then he turned back to Cain, watching him carefully. He had his eyes closed and was breathing slowly, but he seemed mostly unchanged. 

“How you doing?” Gabriel asked. Cain ignored him, and then opened his eyes and nodded.   
“Alright then. I’m gonna let you up for a bit. But if you try anything, I will put you back down alright?”  
Again a nod.  
“Use your words there Cain.”  
“You seem nervous angel.”  
“Yeh well I got a stake in this too.”  
No one present understood his meaning, though to Gabriel it seemed perfectly obvious. But Cain ignored him, as he was released. He shifted slowly and stretched his arm, now once again bearing the mark.   
“Well, it seems a brief moment of respite hasn’t made much of a difference.”   
“Right.” Gabriel flipped his hand and there was an ordinary steel dagger being held out. “Time for blood.”

Cain took the knife, but didn’t move.  
“I think I’ll wait till after.” He said slowly. Gabriel was already shaking his head.   
“Nope. Now.” His tone didn’t leave room for argument, but Cain did anyway.   
“And then what?”  
“And then I let you go, and we start hunting a Knight.”   
For a tense moment, Cain seemed ready to refuse. But he reluctantly set the blade to his hand and then held it out.   
“So be it.”

Gabriel cut his own hand neatly, and pressed their palms together.  
“Do you swear never to again shed blood or take a life or cause lives to be taken, from now until eternity?” He intoned carefully, choosing his words with care, wrapping layers of power around their mingling blood. This wasn’t strictly angel magic, but he’d picked up a few tricks in his time on earth.   
“I do.”   
“And do you accept the consequences should you break this vow?”  
“I do.”

“Excellent.” Gabriel visibly brightened, and took his hand back, instantly healing the wound, disappearing the blood and the knife.   
“Well then, later!” He said with a snap and flourish, sending Cain back to the house he’d been taken from. The angel turned back to the two astonished brothers, and dusted his hands theatrically.   
“That takes care of our biggest problem. And much smoother than I expected.” He said with a brilliant smile. 

He wasn’t willing to admit how much that mark had bothered him. It wasn’t so much for Dean’s sake, but the Winchesters had a reputation. From what they’d told Gabriel, and what Cass had informed him, they had a knack for pulling off the impossible and finding the loopholes built into the universe. And they were completely co-dependant on each other. That much he already knew. He wouldn’t have put it past them to find some way of releasing Dean from the mark that would open the door and let the Darkness out. And that was one fight he knew he’d never win. He’d been dead long enough, thank you very much, and he wasn’t willing to let reality go with him. 

“You ok there Deano?”   
Sam was kneeling next to his brother who seemed a little worse for wear, but he was fully human again.   
“Yeh, I think so. But what now?”  
No doubt without the mark clouding his mind, he’d have a few things to deal with. So Gabriel decided it was time to wrap up. It was getting late now anyway.  
“Now you go find your angel, while I work on phase two.”


	16. Quiet Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're slowly getting there.

Castiel returned soon after, and Dean took his advice, following the angel out of the room. Gabriel watched them leave with a smirk. While he couldn’t condone his brother’s choice, he’d seen the way they stared at each other. If they didn’t sort it out soon, he was liable to lock them in a closet until they did. He thought Sam might even help him, if his eye roll as they left was any indication. Sam drifted out soon after, claiming a need to sleep, leaving Gabriel alone.

The archangel was restless. He obviously didn’t need to sleep, and leaving the bunker for long unadvisable. He was hoping to keep his resurrection a secret. He’d forbidden Castiel from revealing it to any of the other angels, and with any luck, Metatron would have been too distracted that night to get a pinpoint on him before he’d warded himself. Of course, he was building his plan based on the assumption that Metatron knew. It never did to underestimate the enemy. But he could be optimistic, and there was no sense tipping his hand until he was sure. 

Curiosity had him snapping up a few choice books. He knew about the prophet Chuck and the Winchester gospels. Every angel did. But he’d never read them before. Part of his early plans had involved putting the Winchesters through a fair amount of misery, and while he’d needed to know them a little to know what to do, he didn’t think he’d be able to follow through if he really knew them, and saw them as people rather than vessels. He’d pretty much failed at that any way. It wasn’t only for Kali’s sake he’d gone in to rescue them. In fact, by that point it was very little for Kali’s sake. A sword through the heart could do that to a guy. 

But now? Well he was already in way too deep. And he had a feeling they’d left out quite a few details. Knowing what the angels had done during the apocalypse might at least help him help Sam. He wasn’t going to be so easily distracted from his original promise. After all, he still owed the younger Winchester. 

So he read. And he understood. And what he found only increased the admiration he had for even the elder brother. It also increased his determination to fix heaven. Sam was right. They’d been lost long before Michael disappeared. The things they’d done should never have been allowed to happen. The ‘unpublished’ works online finished at Swan Song. Reading about his own death had been a little confronting. Clearly Chuck had thrown his own opinions into the events, as well as Sam and Dean’s, and it all came out as too little done too late. Sure he’d tried. But not hard enough. At least his death had been somewhat moving, if anticlimactic, given that he hadn’t really been able to fight.

Sam’s on the other hand had been nothing short of heroic. Having it painted in the emotive, surprisingly well-written language of a novel instead of the short and un-descriptive words of the Winchesters helped Gabriel really see it. Not just his brothers, but Team Free Will, as they were called. Dean willing to die with his brother (selfishly ignoring that Sam would have had to live with the memory of killing his brother for eternity if he’d been wrong), Sam finding the strength to wrestle control the Devil, fuelled by the same love for Dean. If he didn’t know it had happened, he would have said it would be impossible for a vessel’s owner to take back control like that from even the weakest angel. But underestimating Sam Winchester had been the downfall of so many before.

It was partly the kid’s fault. He cultivated that in people who interacted with him. Everyone underestimated Sam, none more than his family. Some looked and saw the trained soldier, assuming Sam was just another dumb grunt, overlooking the fact that he was a genius, having earned himself a full ride to a prestigious school. Others saw that instead, thinking he was soft for running away to school, ignoring or underestimating the fact that he was 6’4” of muscle who’d been trained to fight since childhood. His sometimes reckless and angry attitude hid the cold and calculating mind. The way he played Patrick at poker was proof enough of that. And then there was the Sam that Dean saw, the little brother who empathized so well, and comforted the victims while Dean took charge. 

Sam was all of those things. Brilliant, well trained, remarkably kind and self-sacrificing, even after everything that had happened. But also cold and logical when he needed to be. It made for an intriguing combination, and as he trawled through five years of their lives, Gabriel was piecing together a truer image of the hunter. He was doing the same for Dean and even Castiel. Gabriel could almost start to understand Castiel’s actions from seeing how desperately they’d fought to stop the apocalypse. It must have been a terrible thing to realise that all that work could be undone, that Sam’s sacrifice could be in vain. 

It didn’t take long for Gabriel to finish. Perks of being an angel. He sat for a long time, thinking over everything. His own parts had been difficult to read. Seeing his actions from the other side, he’d realised the futility. Killing Dean repeatedly had probably only served to make Sam more determined. And even he’d known tv land was a long shot. He’d been angry when he came up with that. 

He was still sitting there when he heard Sam’s nightmares start up again. He tried to ignore it. No way was he making that mistake again. Dean wasn’t an option though. He could hear Cass and him, their voices low in discussion. Gabriel had intentionally fuzzed them out, not wanting to eavesdrop, but he could hear everything in the bunker. No power on heaven or earth was going to let him disturb that. Especially not now he’d read their story. Those two had been through enough. If they were finally making progress, that was nothing but good. 

Reluctantly he climbed to his feet and made his way down the hall. He was a fool for doing this again. And quite possibly entirely selfish. But he couldn’t just let the kid ride out his nightmares alone. So he pushed the door open and made his way into the dark.

Sam was tossing lightly under the covers, not quite whimpering, but definitely not sounding happy. Cautiously Gabriel made his way over to the bed and sat gingerly on the mattress. He couldn’t help reaching out a hand to pass over that frankly ridiculous mane of hair, or from softly brushing his hand over Sam’s cheek. 

“Come on Sammy, time to wake up.” He called softly, bracing for the hunters panicked reaction. But it didn’t come. Sam stilled slightly at the sound of his voice, relaxing without waking. Gabriel’s hand seemed to have a mind of its own as it absently continued stroking through Sam’s hair and Sam seemed to respond, quieting and turning into the touch, breathing relaxing into a steadier rhythm. Nightmare passed, he knew he should leave, but he lingered just a little too long. Sam opened his eyes and looked up at him with sleepy confusion.  
“Gabe?”

The angels eyebrows rose at the nickname, but he didn’t comment.  
“Sorry Sam, you were having a nightmare.”  
The hunter nodded a little and yawned, stretching.  
“What time is it?”  
“Bout 3.”  
That got a groan and Sam shut his eyes again, seeming about to go back to sleep. Gabriel moved to extricate himself, when Sam opened one eye and looked up at him.  
“You staying?”  
The way he said it made it an invitation. If Gabriel had a heart beat it would have stopped.  
“What?”  
“You heard me.” Sam said shutting his eyes again. 

Gabriel hesitated. They really should talk about this. But then again...screw it. Sam had offered. If he hadn’t meant it, he wouldn’t have said it. That much Gabriel knew. He eased himself onto the bed properly and Sam seemed to move instinctively to accommodate him on the frankly too narrow bed. He ended up leaning against the headboard with the hunter curled around him, his head on the angel’s chest, one hand still in Sam’s hair.  
“You sure this is ok?”  
“Shut up.” Was the response, followed by Sam snuggling closer before drifting off again. Gabriel sat still through the night, watching his hunter, hands gently moving through hair, quiet and contemplative and Sam didn’t stir again until long after dawn, the best night sleep he’d had in years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys, I'm not good at this.


	17. Running away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I pretty much lifted parts of the dialogue straight from King of the Damned, and will continue to add bits and pieces from the season's final few episodes through out. I'm trying to keep it as close to canon as possible, though obviously some major diversion.

Sam woke up alone. He was surprised to find himself a little disappointed. The sheets beside him were still warm, so Gabriel couldn’t have been gone for long. He pulled himself up and looked for a clock. It was almost nine, much later than he usually slept, but he was confident he would still be up before Dean.

He rolled out of bed groaning and pulled on some sweats and his running shoes. He needed to clear his head. His usual route around the bunker took half an hour and by the end of it he was sweating lightly and his breathing was strong and even. He’d used the time to mull over this new problem with their resident archangel.

He had to admit he liked the guy. He enjoyed his company, and was starting to feel like he was getting to know him properly. As far as Sam was concerned his dying for them had pretty much erased any hard feelings. As for the other? Well, Sam was a pragmatist and a bit of a romantic. He was aware that as an angel, Gabriel was neither really human nor male. He could just as easily take a female vessel and it would still be Gabriel. And Sam liked to think it wouldn’t make a difference. Remembering Gabriel’s hands through his hair, and the way he’d held him while he slept made him shiver. So yeh, Sam didn’t really have a problem with that. 

Sam was a little worried about how Dean would react. But then Dean could shove it. It wasn’t as if Sam hadn’t spent four awkward years watching his brother and Cass staring at each other. If Dean had a problem, he had plenty of ways to shut him up. He didn’t think he was willing to pursue this intentionally. He was still nervous he’d misread the situation. But he could follow the angel’s lead and see where this went.

It turned out where it was going was…nowhere. At least for now. When Sam came back, his brother and the two angels were in the kitchen. Sam knew Cass had organized the angels into some kind of head quarters, but he came here to see them, and mostly Gabriel. Gabriel was cooking, something he seemed to do frequently. Both boys had been more than willing to hand that responsibility over after they’d tasted the results. For someone who could snap things up with a thought and who technically experienced food as a bunch of molecules, the guy could cook. 

They were in the middle of an argument.   
“You said the blood shed had to stop Cassie.” Gabriel said angrily, not looking at the room.  
“Yes. But we need information.” Castiel replied.  
Sam looked at Dean in confusion.  
“Cass’s people found an angel in a bar last night, shooting his mouth off about Metatron. So now Cass wants to use us to get information.” Dean informed him.  
“Why?” Sam asked.  
“You have had success before.” Cass explained turning to him. Sam considered that. It wasn’t the first time Cass had asked Dean to torture someone, but Sam had thought they were past that. Which meant Cass had to be desperate. He considered that for a minute. 

“Maybe we should.” He said carefully. Gabriel turned to him in shock, clear betrayal in his eyes. It was the first time he’d looked at Sam since he came in. Sam could practically see the angel jumping to conclusions. But he was wrong.  
“Sam!” He didn’t say any more than his name.  
“Look, I’m not saying we actually torture the guy. But Cass is right. Dean has a reputation. Just being in the room might be enough. I’m sure most angels hate us by now. Maybe we can use that.”   
Gabriel unfroze at that.  
“You want to trick him?” he said after a pause before breaking into a grin.   
“I like the way you think kid. That might actually work.” He looked back at Cass and Dean who were both watching the exchange with interest.  
“As long as no one gets hurt, I guess that’s ok.” It was a clear dismissal.  
“Right, just let me change and I’ll be out. I think it’ll go better with both of us.” Sam added. He might pick up things Dean missed, and given that this was more about talking, Sam was better at that. 

To his surprise, Castiel followed him out into the hallway, while Dean headed past them for his room. Once they were alone Cass turned to Sam.  
“I wanted to ask you something.”   
Sam nodded.  
“What’s up?”  
“It’s about Gadreel. When he possessed you.”   
With that Sam tensed.  
“I don’t really like talking about that.”  
“I know Sam, but I need to know. Please.”   
Sam shifted uncomfortably. But he knew Cass wouldn’t ask unless it was important.  
“He didn’t possess me. Not really. He was kind of separate. He locked me out when he took over. I never really knew what was happening.”  
“Did you ever feel threatened?”  
“Not really. I don’t know what I felt, just like I wasn’t alone. But if I had to guess I’d say he felt…misunderstood. But obviously I was wrong. He killed Kevin.”  
Sam’s voice was rough and broken, and he couldn’t look at Cass, but Cass understood.  
“Thank you.”  
Sam turned and headed for his room. In the kitchen, Gabriel had paused. Then he picked the knife back up and kept chopping. He had something new to think about.


	18. Long Live the Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abaddon meet Gabriel.

The interrogation went even better than Sam had expected. The angel had given them exactly what they needed once the brothers had hit the right tactic. There was a secret door into heaven and it was somewhere on earth. That was something they could work with at least. Any progress felt good right now. Even though Sam was relieved that the mark was gone, especially if it was as bad as Gabriel had said, it was still more of a step back than any progress. They still had their original problems. 

Of course nothing went right with the Winchesters. Their recent streak of luck with Gabriel seemed to have run out when the angel they’d been interrogating was found dead. For Castiel it only confirmed something he’d been planning when he talked to Sam. They needed information on Metatron and there was only one angel who could really give them what they needed. But he kept it to himself. The boys had enough to deal with.

Speaking of, Crowley called them while they were talking. The brothers had agreed not to inform anyone that the mark was gone. If Abaddon thought they had a way to kill her, then that could only work in their favour. It might make her hesitate. And Sam didn’t trust Crowley. He didn’t know when Dean had grown so comfortable around him. But then they’d been like that since the beginning. Now though, even Dean had to wonder. He suspected Crowley had known what the mark would do. A demon Dean would probably have made his day. 

So when Crowley called, telling them to retrieve the first blade, the boys played along. Gabriel had mentioned wanting to find it anyway. Probably to lock it away somewhere no one would ever find it again. Dealing with the hellhound had been far preferable to digging through the rotted stinking corpse. Sam let Dean handle that one. If the mark was still in play he might have been nervous letting Dean touch it, seeing what it had done to him last time. Now though? This one was all on Dean and he had to snuff a laugh at the look of total disgust on his face as he pulled out his dripping and stinking hand from the corpse.   
“I’m gonna get him this.” Dean growled in disgust, and Sam couldn’t help but grin.

Once they were back in the car, they called Crowley. He gave them an address and according to Dean, a warning. Poughkeepsie was the code Dean had told him to give to Sam when he was facing Gadreel. Now he was using it again. It didn’t mean quite the same thing, but it was something Crowley knew the boys would understand and was obviously meant to be code. Which meant Abaddon was there. 

Sam had Gabriel on the line soon after. With Metatron in charge, prayer wasn’t safe, so they’d given the angel one of their many spare phones. Unlike Castiel, Gabriel had kept up with the modern world while he was on earth and had no problem adapting to the phone.  
“What’s up Sammy.” He answered the phone cheerfully enough.   
“Crowley called. We’ve got the blade and we’re heading to him now. We think Abaddon may be with him.”  
Silence on the line.   
“I let you out of my sight for five minutes! You boys don’t play around do you? It’s nothing but drama, drama, drama.”   
Sam waited through his little hissy fit. It was hardly Sam’s fault. Finally Gabriel sighed.  
“Ok, where are you? I’m coming with.”  
Sam checked their surroundings, giving a location and no sooner had he finished then Gabriel was in the back seat. Dean jumped, but didn’t swerve.   
“Alright boys, time to kill a Knight of Hell I guess. So what’s the plan?”

Surprisingly, he let them take the lead, making only a few small modifications to what was ultimately Dean’s plan. Both he and Gabriel agreed that Sam wasn’t going anywhere near the room with Abaddon.  
“There’s no need for you to be there Sammy. I’m the one she wants.” Dean argued. Gabriel seconded that.   
“So what, I’m just supposed to wait in the car?” Sam protested. He didn’t want to let his brother out of his sight, especially now he knew he was walking into a trap.   
“Don’t worry kid, I got your brother.”  
Gabriel knew what was eating Sam, and he did his best to assure him. To his surprise Sam actually backed off.  
“Swear to me you’ll bring him back” Sam said, turning to meet the angel’s eyes.  
Sam knew Dean had to be there. It was him they were expecting, and they wanted Abaddon off guard. If she was distracted by Dean, thinking he had the blade and the mark, she would be vulnerable. 

Gabriel was hedging a little. It took power to take down a demon that old. It was well within his capabilities, but they were in a busy, populated area and he didn’t have the luxury of going full archangel. It was a pesky constraint having a conscience. His brothers had always been able to do what they wanted, regardless of consequences. Lucifer didn’t even bother trying to restrain himself, causing weather changes and storms wherever he went. Gabriel didn’t have that luxury. It meant that he had to be close enough to use his blade. It was preferable to smiting. And that meant keeping her distracted to avoid a drawn out fight. 

Sam was asking him to bring his brother back to him safe and sound. And the fact that he could trust him enough with that to start with meant something to Gabriel. Dean was the centre of Sam’s world, and, Gabriel wasn’t going to let him down.   
“I swear.” It was more binding than Sam knew.

With the plan settled, they were silent the rest of the way. Unsurprisingly Sam didn’t actually wait in the car when they arrived. He wanted to be close enough to help. Not that he was sure there was anything he could actually do. But he wasn’t used to staying out of the action. 

Gabriel explained that the First Blade worked similar to the Demon knife, even without the mark. It wasn’t powerful enough for something like Abaddon, but on it’s own it could still take down a normal demon. Which was lucky because there was a grunt waiting for him that he noticed thanks to the warning on Crowley’s face. That’s when Abaddon revealed herself, telekinetically slamming Dean against the wall, casually walking out from where she’d been concealed. Hiding implied scared. This was more intending to make an entrance. 

“A boy and his blade. And yet still no match for the new Queen” she smirked at him.   
“He might not be, but I am sweetheart.”  
Gabriel appeared behind her. She whipped around and looked him up and down.   
“And who are you, angel?” she laughed, moving towards him.   
He’d been hoping she wouldn’t recognize him. After all, unlike Cain, they’d never actually met. The moment was too good, and he couldn’t pass up the chance to be dramatic. What could he say, it was a personal weakness. She’d moved closer, within striking range, clearly intending to fight him, overconfident from dealing with weakened angels since the fall. He smirked at her as he slipped his blade down into his hand.   
“They call me Gabriel.” He said as he slammed the blade into her stomach. He had a moment to enjoy the shocked horror on her face before she was burned out on the inside, leaving nothing but a smoldering wreck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took a little liberty with the mythos, but it doesn't actively contradict anything so I think it's ok.


	19. Honour!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paraphrased meeting between Castiel and Gadreel.

Castiel had taken a chance meeting with Gadreel. But he was desperate. And he’d learned to trust Sam’s judgement. If Sam said he’d felt misunderstood, then Castiel believed it was probably true, whatever his later actions. And that was something Castiel could understand perfectly. His own actions had been taken wrongly so many times, by almost everyone at one point or another, when all he’d been doing was trying to help. So yes, he felt he could relate to Gadreel.

The angel appeared alone, as per their arrangement, and Castiel took that as a good sign.  
“Thank you for coming. Thank you for coming alone.” He started. The other angel walked towards him.  
“I have seen you through Sam Winchester’s eyes. He trusts you. You have a reputation for honour.” Gadreel acknowledged.   
It appeared Castiel wasn’t the only one who put some faith in Sam’s ability to read people.

Castiel decided to test Sam’s theory. Mentioning the garden and projecting the motives Sam had assigned him got an angry reaction, but Castiel felt almost like looking into a mirror. This was him a few years ago, defending his own actions. Gadreel even went so far as to refer to this as his second chance. What Castiel needed now was to give him an alternative to Metatron. And he didn’t intend it to be him. 

“Are you suggesting I change loyalties?” The tone sounded defensive and disbelieving still, but Castiel thought he saw reason to hope. He’d been forbidden to reveal Gabriel’s presence to anyone, and Castiel saw the reason in this. But he could still use it.   
“I’m suggesting that there are others who are more worthy of your loyalty, ones who would truly restore heaven to the way it was. Before Lucifer fell, before we started killing each other in the streets.” Castiel persuaded.  
“And you think that would be you?” Gadreel countered.   
“I want to end this bloodshed. Metatron is determined to cause more.” Castiel needed him to understand. He saw a moment of hesitation before the other angel’s gaze shifted behind him and he stepped back calling his name in warning.

The ambush had been poorly planned, sending only a few after him, but it was enough to take out his companion and leave Castiel with more dead angels on his hands. And that of course was the intention. Metatron had wanted him to lead the angels against him. It wouldn’t do have him killed too early. It left Castiel in the uncomfortable position of having to defend himself from his siblings, while simultaneously knowing he was doing exactly what Metatron wanted. It left him frustrated and angry, especially as Gadreel had disappeared. 

When the angel called him again later, Castiel didn’t tell or take anyone. There was a spy in his camp and he didn’t know who to trust. He was feeling both reckless and angry. He’d been keeping the majority of his actions from Gabriel. The archangel had been determined to stay out of this fight from the beginning and even after he’d declared himself willing to help, he hadn’t done anything more than demand a way into heaven. So it was up to Castiel to work on that, alone. Gadreel was their best way in. 

The angel was even more visibly upset this time, earnestly proclaiming his ignorance at the attack, maintaining that honour needed to be kept, even in times of war. Castiel looked at him and saw both the old heaven, a place where assassins and betrayal were completely foreign, and a terrible naivety. He was reminded again that Gadreel had spent almost all his time since the birth of humanity imprisoned and ironically had largely escaped the corruption of heaven. He could see the desperate pain in the other angel’s eyes as he seriously considered betrayal, as he realised the ideals he was fighting for weren’t the same as the side he was on. 

It was so familiar to Castiel that he almost offered words of comfort. But he knew that would undermine the progress he had made. He had offered Gadreel a choice. It was important that he make it of his own free will. So Castiel left him with the choice and returned to the bunker. He needed to speak to Gabriel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always thought Gadreel was an excellent parallel for Castiel. I'm trying to move this section on, so I'm mostly paraphrasing parts of their conversations that are taken from the show. But I think knowing Gabriel is around, but not being able to mention him would be driving Cass nuts.


	20. Trapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clean up on Abaddon.

Dean hit the ground with a thud, but there was no lasting damage. He’d been thrown around by demons plenty before.  
“Does someone want to tell me what the bloody hell is going on?” Crowley half yelled, still collapsed on the couch.   
“You good here Dean?” Gabriel asked casually, eyeing the demon distastefully.  
“Yeh, I’m good. Go check on Sam.” Dean replied climbing to his feet, knowing that’s what the angel was really asking. He hadn’t exactly been subtle in the past few days, but that was a headache for later. 

“What’s he doing here?” Crowley demanded, as soon as the angel was out of the room.   
“Sorry Crowley, but archangel trumps Knight.” Dean replied flippantly, dusting himself off.   
“And the mark?” Crowley asked eyeing the first blade in Dean’s hand as he picked it up off the floor. This wasn’t what he’d been expecting.  
“Back where it belongs.” Dean growled. “Speaking of, did you know what it would do?”  
Crowley ignored that bit.   
“You mean it’s back with Cain? And you’re ok with that?” Crowley asked incredulous, frantically spinning it in his head to find the best angle that would benefit him.   
“Better him than me.” Dean replied briefly as Sam and Gabriel walked into the room. Crowley tried appealing to the crowd, even though he knew the leverage was gone with Abaddon dead.

“And you moose? You’re ok with Cain being out there somewhere doing who knows what?”  
“Better than turning my brother into a demon wouldn’t you say Crowley?”  
The King of Hell flinched a little at that. So they’d found out. Well now was a time for a hasty retreat.  
“Well then, if that’s all then, how about a little help?” He growled out, looking at Dean. He was the one least likely to try and kill him right now.   
“Nice try Crowley. But I think we might just end you right here.” Dean growled back. So much for that.

Gabriel stepped up, after being uncharacteristically silent.   
“Whoah, hold up there Deano.” A quick snap and the bullet disappeared, but Gabriel laid a new trap down on the floor around the demon.   
“Unfortunately, I think events have proved it to you enough, better the demon you know. We can save sorting out hell for later. Right now, we have more important things.”

Crowley never thought he’d live to see the day an angel saved his life. Well besides little Cass. But he wasn’t going to argue. Dean seemed to subside, even though Sam was still glaring daggers. 

“How did she get to you anyway?” Dean asked.   
Crowley gave them the short, sorry story of his son. Gabriel eyed him with interest.   
“Well looks like I’ve got something else to take of.” The angel said, and snapped before Crowley could protest.  
“What did you do?” He yelled at the angel.   
“Sent him back where he came from.” Gabriel replied evenly.   
“So you sent him to die!” the demon spat back. They were all surprised by the vehemence in his voice, but Gabriel didn’t back down.   
“He’s already dead pal.”  
With that he turned and left the room. The boys followed him, not even Dean looking back. The demon was more than capable of getting out of the temporary devil’s trap given enough time. So they left him there to stew


	21. Little Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel and Castiel get a chance to chat. Plus a reference to Destiel.

Sam and Dean drove back, while Gabriel took the shorter option, snapping himself back to the bunker. He trusted the boys could at least manage to drive back safely. So there was no one else there when he arrived and saw Castiel waiting for him. He flopped himself down on the couch and waited as Castiel sat gingerly beside him when he patted the seat.

He’d known this was coming. Even though he’d agreed to help, he hadn’t done much and he’d watched his brother become more and more frustrated. Especially as his brother desperately believed that Gabriel’s presence would unite all the others and he could lead them against Metatron. What Castiel didn’t understand was that’s exactly what he didn’t want. 

He didn’t want to be Michael, who sent his angels out to commit atrocities and die on his orders. He didn’t want to be Lucifer, who left seeds of doubt and dissent and whispered distrust and disorder until brothers were fighting brothers. He was made to help lead heaven, to protect his brothers while they protected humanity. He couldn’t ask them to fight or die for him. If he was going to win this fight he needed to win it for them. To protect them as an older brother should. He needed to prove it to himself as much as them. Because how could he possibly hope to lead heaven if he couldn’t protect it? 

But he knew how much this mattered to Castiel. For all his faults, the angel cared, cared enough to keep fighting, to keep trying to make up for his failures. So he let him speak.   
“I met with Gadreel.”   
That was not what Gabriel was expecting. It seemed too devious for the straight forward angel. Which meant something had happened.

“Why?”   
“Because he has information we need to defeat Metatron. He knows how to get into heaven.” Casiel replied. Gabriel didn’t say anything. He knew Castiel would get to the point.   
“I think it would help if you talked to him.” Castiel said finally.   
“You want to tell your enemy your biggest secret? And what if he tells Metatron?”   
“I don’t believe he is our enemy. He seeks only to do what is right. He wants to redeem himself.”

Gabriel could relate. He hadn’t agreed with Gadreel’s imprisonment. It was just one of the many things that happened in heaven because of Lucifer. Michael had been grieving but also paranoid and he’d taken it out on his brothers. Gadreel hadn’t stood a chance against Lucifer. Yes, he made a mistake, but it wasn’t as if Gabriel believed he could have done any different. It was Lucifer after all. But blaming him had been something they could do. 

Gabriel sighed and ran a hand across his face. He’d picked up a lot of human gestures over the years. He contemplated what he was going to say for a moment. But decided, screw it. Maybe it was time.   
“Ok.”  
“Ok?”  
“Ok.”  
Castiel watched him for a moment, but apparently still felt the need for clarification.   
“You mean you’ll meet with him?”  
“I mean if he turns up by himself, fine, we’ll talk. But until then, I’m not going anywhere.”  
“Thank you brother.” Castiel’s earnest thanks made him uncomfortable. But he was going to have to learn to live with it. Because he knew if they succeeded he was going to have a lot more than one angel looking at him like that. It probably wasn’t a good sign that the idea made him want to run and hide.

Gabriel looked over at his brother carefully. The angel was trying hard to keep things under control. He’d been working to lead his rebel force of angels and they were responding quite well. But he was uncomfortable in his role and Gabriel knew he preferred the company of the Winchesters, over his followers. And one Winchester in particular. He had to admit he was curious. 

“So Cass. You know what you’re gonna do when all this is over?”  
Castiel looked at him a little startled.  
“I had thought I would return to heaven and whatever duties you assigned.” He said carefully. Gabriel cursed to himself. He’d made the angel nervous, which was the opposite of what he intended.   
“Relax Cassie. I know you’re not planning any hostile take overs, and I’m not kicking you out.” He said it lightly, but he watched the angel relax slightly and realised that’s exactly what he was afraid of. 

Castiel had spent so long away from heaven and its rigid authority that he sometimes overstepped, not paying Gabriel the respect an archangel might expect. It was no doubt a by-product of having fought three of them. But he was worried Gabriel would take offense. He liked and respected his older brother, despite their differences. Gabriel on the other hand was glad. He’d never been comfortable with that rigid atmosphere, and time among humans had made him even more lax. Loki wasn’t exactly well known for his respect for authority. So he liked the times his brother forgot himself and stood up to him. It made it feel more like family. 

“I just wanted to know if you were ever planning to make a move on your Winchester.” He said with a wink. If angels could blush he swore Cass would manage it.   
“I have no intention of ‘making a move’ in Dean.” He answered stiffly. Gabriel laughed lightly.   
“Well at least you knew which one I was talking about.” He took unfair delight in making the other angel squirm. Not that you could tell. Castiel looked as unaffected as ever. 

“As your intentions towards Sam have been quite clear, it is unlikely you would be referring to him.” Castiel answered steadily. Gabriel studied him closely. That was dangerously close to snark, but he’d said it so sincerely he didn’t know if it was intentional. He realised he might have underestimated him.   
“Oh come on Cassie. They aren’t gonna be back for hours. We can braid each others hair and talk about boys!”  
“My hair is not long enough to braid.” Castiel replied, but he smiled slightly and Gabriel laughed in delight. Cass had actually made a joke. A very poor attempt, but he got an A for effort at least. The younger angel sobered quickly.

“I do not believe that Dean would be receptive to me.” He admitted quietly. Gabriel was surprised the angel had admitted it. He’d only been joking. But he tried to offer support.  
“Are you kidding? The guy doesn’t stop staring at you.”   
“I….When my grace was stolen and I was human, he made me leave.” Castiel said sadly. “I know it was Gadreel who forced him to…” He trailed off.   
“But he still did it. Yeh, ok kid that’s a tough one.” Gabriel said leaning back. “But that doesn’t have to mean anything. I mean sure, not a great move on his part. But have you talked to him about it?”  
“He apologized. I forgave him. But that does not mean he wants me.” 

Gabriel was shocked. The poor guy sounded heartbroken. And he really hadn’t expected the angel to open up. But clearly he needed to talk about this. And it occurred to him then that he’d never really had anyone to talk to who wasn’t Dean or Sam. When he was around the other angels, it was usually business and it wasn’t like Castiel had friends outside the Winchesters. Gabriel realised how lonely Cass must be, and how hard it was for him, to have these confusing and conflicting feelings and no point of reference. 

“Maybe you should ask him?”  
“I do not wish to make things awkward.”  
Gabriel didn’t have an answer for that. It was a part of life, sometimes you took a chance, made a gamble and lost. But you moved on. For Castiel, he didn’t have anyone else to turn to. Or at least he hadn’t. Now he had Gabriel, though definitely not in the same way.  
“It’d be his loss. And you’d always have a place in heaven.” He reassured him. “But you can’t be afraid to try. You never know what might happen.”

Castiel looked at him steadily.  
“I will think about it.”  
Gabriel reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, while Castiel looked at him doubtfully, though not unpleased. He finally understood why his angels seemed so eager when he acknowledged them.  
“I know they’re your family kid. But so am I and I’m not going anywhere.”  
Castiel was flooded with a wave of warmth and light from the touch on his shoulder as he felt his brother’s grace reach out to embrace him. It was the closest he’d felt to heaven in a long time and he closed his eyes gratefully.   
“Thank you brother. I’m glad you’re back.”


	22. Bed Time Stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did you think I'd forget about Adam?

It was late by the time the boys got back. Gabriel had used the time to fill Castiel in on what had happened before he left to go back to his headquarters. Then he set about making dinner for when the Winchesters returned. It was a surprisingly domestic thing to do, but for Gabriel, keeping his hands busy was soothing. Sure he could have snapped up something, and if they asked nicely and he was feeling generous he would. But cooking was less about feeding them and more about giving Gabriel something to focus on while he thought and planned, helping him stay grounded. It also helped to remind him of where he was and what he was doing.

Sam and Dean came in and attacked the food appreciatively. He couldn’t hide the small smile he got, or ignore the warmth that washed over him. If he was being honest, he’d grown fond of both the boys. As much as Dean’s tendency to place his brother above the rest of the world had given Gabriel more than one headache (metaphorically speaking) it was a trait he couldn’t help but admire and be a little envious of. He’d never had anyone look out for him the way Dean looked out for Sam. Lucifer had been the closest of all his brothers, with Michael a close second, and that hadn’t exactly turned out well. If the blade hadn’t killed him when Lucifer ran him through, he was fairly sure his broken heart might have. As for Sam, well, he’d made his stance on that quite clear apparently, if even Castiel was calling him out on it. 

Both Winchesters headed for their beds, leaving Gabriel alone again. He was spending far too much of his time on his own, and while it had never bothered him before, he found himself restless. Being in the bunker was confining. He was limited in what he could do, even inside the wards, and neither of the brothers appreciated his usual antics. In truth, he was tired of them himself. Bringing a little bit of justice to the world by tricking bad people into worse ends had been his game for centuries. But it was a petty distraction compared to the kind of divine justice he’d been made for. 

To keep himself occupied, he thought about what he might say to Gadreel if he did show up. At the moment Gabriel would put it at 60/40 odds, leaning more towards him showing up if Metatron was still as obnoxious as Gabriel remembered. He doubted punching him was the diplomatic solution, but it was the top of his list. If what he’d done to Sam wasn’t bad enough (and it was pretty bad) killing a prophet was absolutely forbidden. For someone who’d been keen to redeem himself from heaven’s prison, he’d broken some pretty big rules. And Gabriel had his own reasons for resenting the angel. 

It was even later when he heard Sam start tossing again and he tried to pretend he hadn’t been waiting for it. Tonight there was no Castiel occupying Dean. There was no reason why Gabriel had to be the one to go to Sam. He should knock on the older Winchester’s door and leave it to him to help his brother. But if Gabriel was being honest, which frankly he tried to avoid it where possible for this exact reason, he’d been half hoping tonight would be another bad night for Sam. Because it gave him an excuse to sneak into his room. 

The door creaked as he eased it open and it was enough to wake the hunter. He must have been sleeping lightly. Gabriel froze in the door way as a sleep mussed Sam stared up at him from across the room.  
“You ok there, Sam?” He said just to break the silence.  
“Yeh, sorry.” They continued to stare at each other. It seemed impossible for Gabriel to cross that small space with Sam’s eyes on him, but he couldn’t deny that he wanted to. 

“You want to talk about it?” he offered softly. He was expecting Sam to say no, so he was surprised when he sat up properly and ran a hand through his hair.  
“There’s really not much to talk about. It’s just the same stuff.” Sam admitted. Gabriel took it as permission to come closer, closing the door behind him. Sam shifted a little on the bed, making space and Gabriel took the invitation, settling beside him.

“Lucifer?” He asked, prompting when Sam had been silent for too long.  
“Mostly. He’s pretty hard to forget. But it’s not just him. Gadreel’s in there too. Or not him so much as what he did. I know it wasn’t me, I wasn’t in control, but I can still see myself killing Kevin. And it just reminds me of when Lucifer was in here. He made me do some pretty awful things.” Sam confessed. The angel beside him didn’t say anything, just reached out and placed a warm hand over his own. He took it gratefully and continued.  
“The worst part was, some of it was me. I know it was. But sometimes, I felt like I couldn’t tell where I stopped and he started.” It was something he’d never admitted out loud. But he’d enjoyed killing those demons, even as he was screaming to regain control. 

“He was always good at getting into people’s heads.” Gabriel replied softly. They both fell silent for a while.  
“Do you ever see Michael?” Gabriel finally asked. Sam shook his head.  
“I know he was there, and he wasn’t a fan. But he was mostly busy keeping Lucifer away from Adam.”  
“He tried to protect him?” Gabriel asked.

He’d been surprised by the appearance of a third Winchester. Though really, he of all people should have realised it would happen, a third, hidden baby brother? One who was never supposed to be involved, but ended up facing big bro? He’d said it himself. As it was in heaven. 

Beside him Sam nodded.  
“It cost him a lot. It was harder to defend himself from Lucifer when he was trying to keep Adam safe. But he tried. I think he felt like he owed him. After all, Adam did what he was asked. It wasn’t his fault I derailed the plan.” Sam paused before continuing again in a broken, anguished kind of voice.  
“Sometimes I see him in there. I imagine what Lucifer might be doing to him. I was lucky. Dean pulled me out. But Adam’s still in there. And I know it might seem like we’ve forgotten him, but I can’t.”  
“What happened?” Gabriels soft questions were pulling answers out of Sam and now he’d started he didn’t feel like he could stop.  
“Death gave Dean a choice. Me or Adam. He was only willing to go in there once. I guess it wasn’t much of a choice.” Sam added a little bitter. He loved his brother and he knew if he were in the same position it was likely he’d choose Dean. But he’d wanted him to pick Adam. He’d been innocent in all of this. Sam was the one who chose.

“It’s not your fault kid. It’s not even really Dean’s. Adam had a bad run, sure. And he managed to get that Winchester knack for sacrificing himself for his family. But he still made his choice. You can’t blame yourself for that.” Gabriel reassured him. 

“I know. But I feel responsible for him you know? I mean, he was my little brother.”  
It still felt weird to say. Sam had always been the youngest. But it was true.  
Gabriel thought very carefully before he responded. It wasn’t something he could consider lightly. But he had his own reasons, ones that had nothing to do with Sam. So finally he said,  
“I could try and get him out.”

It was only because they were so close that Gabriel knew the force of Sam’s reaction. He stiffened almost imperceptibly, though whether from fear or surprise Gabriel couldn’t tell.  
“I couldn’t ask you to do that. It’s too dangerous.” Fear then. Not that he blamed him.  
“You didn’t. I offered. If Cassie managed to get in and get your body out, I should be able to manage it. If Mikey’s been protecting him, he might not be in such bad shape. But don’t worry kid. I’d never do anything that risked letting them out. They’re my brothers and I love them, but I know the universe is better off with them in there.”

Sam nodded.  
“Maybe wait until after Metatron.” Sam said slowly. “You seem to be taking on a lot for us.”  
“That your way of saying thank you?” Gabriel teased softly. Sam smiled down at him.  
“Thank you. For everything Gabriel. I can’t say how much we owe you.” There was a softness in Sam’s eyes that Gabriel thought made up for everything.  
“Well you did bring me back. So I’d call it even.” He said with a fond smile. 

Right then Sam’s face cracked open in a wide yawn and Gabriel’s smile widened.  
“You need to get some sleep Sammy.” He said, moving.  
He froze as Sam’s hand tightened in his.  
“Stay?”  
He didn’t need to be asked twice.


	23. There's something about Tessa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sticking pretty close to Stairway to Heaven for the next couple of chapters. I've paraphrased some conversations and changed others.

Gabriel heard Dean’s phone ring and knew they weren’t getting any sleep tonight. Which was a shame. Sam had barely slept. But when he heard Dean coming down the hallway, he left, snapping himself out quietly. He didn’t think either one would appreciate him still being there when Dean walked in. He was back in the main room by the time the boys appeared, with Dean packing a bag. 

“What’s up kids?”  
“Got a call from Cass.” Dean explained tiredly rubbing a hand over his face. Gabriel knew he was probably feeling the effects of losing the mark. It would have made him stronger and increased his endurance beyond a regular human.   
“He said he’s got a situation, needs our help. We’ll keep you in the loop.” He added gruffly. 

“Hang on.”   
Gabriel didn’t wait for Dean’s permission, just reached out and touched two fingers to his forehead, healing fatigue and giving him energy. It was a quick fix, they still needed to get real sleep and eat something in the next 24 hours, but at least he could make sure they didn’t crash somewhere along the way. 

Dean stepped back a little stunned and shook his head.  
“Wow, I feel amazing. What did you do?”   
Gabriel grinned and wriggled his fingers at him.  
“Magic touch.” He said with a grin. “Equivalent of eight hours sleep and a decent meal. Sam?”  
He turned towards the taller hunter, holding up his hand like a question. He didn’t mind springing it on Dean, man didn’t have enough sense to take care of himself properly and he knew Castiel had done the same many times. But Sam was different. He looked at Gabriel warily for a moment before nodding. 

This touch seemed more intimate, with Sam looking down at him. It took a little longer, and Gabriel was tempted to do more, to lay down a few slow acting healings that would start on some of the damage. But he’d never do that without Sam’s knowledge. As he’d said, there’d been enough things in his head without permission. So it was still only the work of a moment to get both boys into a state fit to work. 

Sam’s reaction was pretty much on par with Dean. He shook his head a little and started at the little angel.   
“Wow, I feel…great.”  
“Oh come on, that’s just sad.” He said with a grin, turning away. He threw a look at Dean and then back at Sam. “All I did was give you two a good night sleep.”   
“Yeh well, we haven’t had one of them in a while.” Dean said, shrugging as he picked up the bag and headed for the door. Sam gave a little nod and followed.  
“Thanks Gabe.”  
Gabriel just watched them go. 

Hours later when they reached the scene they were surprised to find they didn’t even need their badges. Cass was already inside. Sam could understand why he’d called. This was clearly an angel attack, in public. But it didn’t make any sense. 

Things only got weirder as they followed Cass back to angel headquarters. Seeing all those angels assembled, with the modern paraphernalia around them was impressive, but seeing the way the other angels looked at Cass was unsettling. They had the look of fanatics and seemed to light up whenever Cass’s attention landed on them. It left Dean feeling uncomfortable. He was irreverent at the best of times, and this didn’t feel like his Cass. This was the rebel angel leader, not the dorky guy he knew. 

The footage of the kamikaze angel was even more disturbing. Dean didn’t really think Cass would do something like that. But then he hadn’t thought he’d do a lot of things he’d done. Right now, in that place surrounded by the angels who were looking at Cass like he was their personal salvation, Dean didn’t trust that it hadn’t gone to his head. Even though they both knew he was just a temporary stand in for the archangel currently hiding out in their bunker. The last time Cass had an army like this he’d almost destroyed everything. So as much as Dean might hate to admit it, he didn’t trust Castiel on this one. Even the sick look on his face couldn’t erase all of Dean’s doubts. 

He at least managed to drag Cass into his office before he started arguing, after a look from Sam had cut him off. They were aware of how volatile the situation was. Cass explained that the mark was designed to amplify power, that this was an angel hit, and something fell into place for them. Sam wasn’t as blind when it came to Castiel. He didn’t really believe the angel would do something like this. But if someone could make it look like he did? That would undo all the work that Cass had done. 

 

Dean had never really understood when Cass had tried to explain that angels needed a leader. He’d met plenty that seemed just fine on their own. Castiel was a good example. But seeing all these powerful beings, happy just to hear Cass say their names? It was making him itch. He didn’t want Cass around when they worked. It creeped him out seeing it, and he felt that the angels would respond differently without him around. Maybe Cass was innocent, but he wouldn’t put it past one of his faithful followers to take matters into their own hands if they thought it was what Castiel needed. So he split them up.

Sam wasn’t happy with the plan, and it was clear Cass thought Dean didn’t trust him. But he needed Cass gone, and he wanted Sam to keep an eye on him. That left them following the trail of the missing angel, while Dean stayed to get answers. Sam left with a meaningful look. 

Dean was conscious that these were Castiel’s followers. They were loyal to him, and that actually meant something to Dean. So he tried to be nice. He really couldn’t blame them for hating him, not really. But nice only went so far. He ended up with a couple of names, one he recognized. It was a place to start. After all, why was a reaper getting mixed up in angel business? It was time to get to work. 

He tracked Tessa down, stopping her outside a theatre. When grabbing her revealed the top of the bloody mark she’d carved into her skin, one he was sure would match the mark from the last bomber, he knew they were in trouble. But it was also a lucky break. Snapping on the cuffs and dragging her back to angel land was way too easy. It was his first clue that something was really not right. He knew the reaper, remembered her well, and there was something very off about her. She should have at least tried to fight. 

The angels ganging up on him in the hallway was just more drama he did not need. They clearly didn’t trust him. So he tried to diffuse the situation, leaving the angel blade with them. He hadn’t intended to use it. He actually didn’t want to hurt Tessa. While Dean didn’t typically like creatures, there were a few he’d managed to see as people over the years, and Tessa was one. She’d taught him a lesson he’d hated, but she wasn’t evil. It was just Hannah’s insistence on relying on Castiel’s authority that made him snappy. 

So when he walked into the room he tried to reason with her. They had a history. Dean didn’t feel quite so vulnerable admitting that to her how bad he’d been, but he was lying when he said he’d never been there. Saying Yes to Michael had been as much a way out as anything. It had taken Cass to beat some sense back into him. Literally. 

When Tessa claimed she couldn’t bare to continue listening to the screaming of the lost souls, it was not something Dean wanted to think about. All those scared and confused ghosts with nowhere to go? It just made it more important to end this, and get heaven back on track. As much as Dean wasn’t a fan of angels, or heaven particularly, it was better than the alternative. But Tessa wasn’t cracking. 

She claimed Castiel had given her purpose, and played on every one of his doubts. But somehow, coming from her, hearing the same things that he’d thought earlier, he knew that wasn’t Cass. If she’d wanted him to doubt, all she’d done was convince him otherwise. Talking wasn’t going to help. Someone had whammied her good and he had an idea he knew who it was. He was about to leave when a familiar voice called out behind him. 

“Do you trust me?”


	24. Heaven (must be missing quite a lot of angels)

Sam and Cass were mostly quiet on the drive. Gabriel had filled him in on the events that had happened so far and Cass didn’t want to bring up Gadreel again until he was sure something would come of it. He did however need Sam’s assurance that he didn’t believe him capable of ordering his own soldiers to sacrifice themselves like that. 

“Look Cass, we both know you didn’t do it. And not just because I know you. But no way would Gabe allow it. I know you’re mostly following his orders.”  
The angel was surprised.  
“Mostly?”  
“Well, no one here’s a perfect soldier.” Sam reassured.   
He knew there were probably some things the angel did without permission. It was Cass after all. From what he’d seen the younger angel was frustrated with the lack of progress. Sam thought he might have expected Gabriel to just come back and slam Metatron with power and take back heaven by force. To be honest, Sam had half expected that too. But for an archangel, something Cass had once called heaven’s most terrifying weapon, the guy was surprisingly non-confrontational. 

“You’re right. But I would never do this.”  
“I know Cass. Besides, Metatron stands the most the gain from this.” Sam added. When the angel looked at him in confusion, Sam sighed. Creative thinking really wasn’t any angel’s strong suit. The fact that this was a tactic straight out of movie convinced Sam of it. Metatron wasn’t necessarily more creative, just better read.   
“Look. You’ve got those angels believing in you. They chose to follow you. But you’re supposed to be the villain. You said it yourself, Metatron wants you to be the bad guy. So how does he do that when you’re sending angels to save sick kids, and refusing to fight him? He has to make it look like you’re doing something awful, something that makes all the good things look like lies.”

Castiel nodded slowly. There was sense in Sam’s assessment. Once again Cass was reminded just how good Sam was at reading people and situations. He’d learned a lot since Lucifer. It gave him a little more faith in his plan for Gadreel. But also a little more faith in himself. Sam had said he didn’t believe he did this.   
“So you think Metatron is setting angels up to kill themselves in public in my name to discredit me?”  
“Yeh. It’s classic Voldemort. Make you look like the bad guy and then send out an open invitation and expect everyone to come running.”  
“That does seem like an effective plan.” Cass replied. If his sudden understanding of pop culture references surprised Sam, he didn’t mention it. 

It was a lucky break that they found the gas station the angel they were tracking stopped at. It was even better that not only was the same kid working, but the angel had actually asked for directions, giving them an exact location. Sometimes, Sam wondered if God wasn’t actually around, manipulating things for them. Their luck at times like this was beyond believable. That or it was a trap.

They ended up outside an abandoned building that Cass warned was radiating power. After several attempts at busting down the door, something that was almost painful for Sam to watch, considering what the angel used to be capable of, Castiel found the riddle.

Even with a wealth of books and movies in his head, Castiel didn’t process much of it. There was a difference between knowledge and experience and having the facts of millions of stories crammed into his head didn’t change him the way it would if he’d read and experienced them. So while he could understand references and immediate comparisons, it wasn’t in his hardwiring to reach for those comparisons as a reference point. He still retained his inherent literality and earnest nature. 

The riddle on the door made little sense to him, but when Sam spoke the phrase that opened it, it was clear that it was supposed to make sense to someone. The next trap was a little more literal, and that one Cass managed to avoid with the help of Sam’s warning. When he saw the door to heaven he knew he should stop and wait. Wait like a good soldier or his commander. But Castiel had waited too long and fought too hard for this. The crushing disappointment when he realised the room was a fake was really just par for course. Maybe a different version of him would have trashed the room, or been angry. But he was too used to it by now. He just felt confusion.

It was clear this place had been intended for him to find, possibly exactly like this. But without Sam’s help he never would have got through the front door. Castiel didn’t like the feeling of being overestimated by Metatron. Clearly he though the “upgrade” he’d given him would be more effective. But if this was how he’d been intenteded to find the room, that meant the angel on the floor had also been part of the plan. It was another blow, one that still hurt, but what was one more pain among many? The hope he felt when that angel grabbed his hand though? That was something else. He was vaguely aware that Sam was pulling out his phone as he reached out to heal him, but the angel stopped him.  
“I’d rather die than owe my life to you.”

It was as much as Sam needed to hear. Gabriel answered on the second ring.  
“Need you here. Now. We found one of Metatron’s but he’s hurt. Bad.”  
“Ok kid, calm down, where are you.”  
Sam gave him the address and there was a pause before Gabriel was there, eyes fixed on the angel dying on the floor, who startled at the sight of the archangel. It was enough to rouse him back to life just a little as he stared up in awe. 

Gabriel went down on one knee and placed a hand on his brother’s head. Sam was careful to look away as they both started to glow and when he looked back, the angel was whole and healed. Gabriel turned to them both with a hard look.  
“Cass, take Sam outside.”  
They were both quick to obey. That snap of command had been in his voice and neither of them were willing to challenge that. 

Five minutes later Gabriel appeared near the car where they were waiting.  
“Did he tell you anything?” Castiel asked.   
The other angels had looked at him and said he didn’t see an angel in his eyes anymore and Castiel feared it was true. But he still cared, and even though he’d been an enemy, they were still brothers.   
“Couldn’t get the words out fast enough.” Gabriel replied with a smirk, but Sam thought he seemed a little uneasy as well.   
“Didn’t have a lot of loyalty left for Metatron after he barbequed him. He’s back at the bunker. He agreed to stay in a warded room till all this was over.” 

Sam wasn’t happy to hear that Gabriel was using their home as an angel prison, no matter how temporary, but he supposed it made sense.  
“Right now, we’ve got bigger problems. You need to get back, pronto.”


	25. Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel has to make a choice. Sometimes the Destiel writes itself. Again, still pretty heavily borrowing from Stairway to Heaven.

Gabriel refused to accompany them back, or tell them what was going on. It was enough of a risk turning up where he did. It was only because the fake heaven had been warded that he had risked it. Which left Castiel feeling even worse. Josiah might have been working for Metatron, but he’d seen the joy in his face when he looked at Gabriel. It was the same joy Castiel had felt being embraced by his brother. The archangel didn’t even seem to realise the effect he had on all of them. His presence was light and hope, far warmer than Michael or Raphael had ever been. Heaven had missed him sorely. But it seemed he was unwilling to risk either himself or his plan to save his brothers, no matter how much he protested he abhorred the violence. It left Cass sad and confused. 

That feeling only increased when he returned and found the place in chaos. Hannah informed him that Dean had killed the reaper Tessa in questioning, and it threw everything Cass had been thinking into a spiral. Sam was likewise thrown. He knew his brothers history with the reaper. He’d always thought Dean liked her. It made no sense that he’d kill her.

When they walked in, they saw Dean tied to the chair but otherwise unharmed. Castiel dismissed them all.   
“What happened?”   
Sam was already beside the chair undoing his restraints.   
“She lost it ok? Stabbed herself.”   
“And why would she do that?”  
“I don’t know! She was saying all kinds of crazy. Something about lost souls, screaming.”

Cass looked down at him before he was interrupted by Hannah.   
“I’m sorry sir but you have a call. From Metatron.”  
Castiel looked at Sam. This was almost exactly what he’d predicted. But there was no way to avoid it. He left the room, knowing in his heart he’d already lost.

It went about as well as expected. Castiel had to admit, Metatron was good with words. He’d mixed enough truth into his lies that made it hard for Castiel to deny. And the way his angels were looking at him, they all knew it. His stolen grace was a crack in their confidence that allowed the full weight of doubt to slam through. Never had Cass been so frustrated that he couldn’t just tell them all the truth. It wasn’t really him they were following. He was not the one who should be holding their faith. But he held his silence. They made their choice. Castiel had to make his. 

That choice became even clearer when Hannah asked him to punish Dean. The rules he’d made had been clear. Killing angels except in self-defense was punishable by death. And Tessa had been restrained and unarmed. No one believed Dean Winchester had been in any kind of danger from her. No one even seemed to know where he got the blade, but it made it clear he was guilty that he’d managed to sneak one in. 

Looking into Dean’s eyes, with ‘his’ followers watching, there really was no choice at all. Even though he was under orders, even though his brothers needed him, looking into the eyes of this man, there was no force on earth or heaven that could make him raise his blade against him. He’d fallen, rebelled, and killed for Dean and only Dean for years. Everything he was, everything he wanted was in those eyes. As the angels filed out, he couldn’t find the strength to meet it. It was a long, silent car ride home.


	26. Traitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gadreel shows up. Minus the stab wound this time. More paraphrasing from Stairway.

They filed into the bunker each defeated in their own way. Dean was being crushed by guilt. He watched his angel walk dejectedly toward one of the tables and sit down. Sam disappeared, no doubt in search of his own angel. Dean knew they were going to need to have a conversation over that, but it would wait. Right now, he needed to take care of Cass. 

“So. Batteries?”  
Cass looked at him sadly.   
“It’s fine Dean.”  
“No it’s not. Talk to me. How long you got?”   
“Long enough to help defeat Metatron. I hope. But with an army-“  
“Hey don’t worry. We’ve beaten worse odds before the three of us. And now we’ve got the pipsqueak on our side. He’s gotta count for something.”  
Dean said seriously, holding the angels gaze, drowning in all that blue. Cass seemed to hesitate before speaking again.  
“Those bombers. You don’t really believe that I…” He trailed off, afraid of the answer. Seeing the faith in his followers eyes die as they looked at him, he was afraid to see the same thing happen again.   
“Look Cass, you just gave up an army for one guy. So no, I don’t think that.” Dean assured him. 

Dean wasn’t capable of processing how much he’d just seen the angel give up for him. Even though he thought he was a murderer, even though he was lying, in spite of their problems, even after Dean had abandoned him when he was weak and hunted, still Cass had chosen him over everything. It was an awesome responsibility, and Dean didn’t know how he could bear the weight of that much faith. Or how he could ever hope to repay it. He just seemed to keep letting him down.

For Castiel, that confirmation was everything he needed to hear. But he still wanted to protest. Dean wasn’t just one guy. He was Dean. And that meant everything to Cass. But he once again found himself bound by fear to speak what he truly wanted to say. Because he’d once again put himself in a place where Dean was the only thing left to him. He couldn’t risk losing him too. He refused to allow that green gaze to dim with disgust and anger. Because how could Dean ever want a failure such as he?

They were both distracted from their emotions by the heavy footsteps in the main room, and by Sam’s warning shout. They both stood to see Gadreel walking towards them. Dean cursed himself for not thinking about it earlier that he could just walk back in. The least they could have done was set up a door bell or something. 

“I’m not here to fight. I know what Metatron has done. I know the bombers were his people, not yours. I want to help you. Metatron needs to be stopped”   
Dean glared back distrustfully, while checking on Sam. His brother was both angry and afraid but he seemed willing to listen. Dean was not.   
“You don’t trust me. I understand. I’ve..I’ve made mistakes. But haven’t we all? At least give me a chance.”   
The silence stretched for a moment. And then a sarcastic voice piped up.

“Well hey, we’re all big believers in second chances here.”   
Three surprise faces turn up to see Gabriel leaning against the balcony above them.   
“So what do you say guys. Should we hear him out?”  
Gadreel couldn’t hide his shock as he looked up at the archangel. Awe and hope were met equally with anger.  
“Where have you been?”  
Gabriel had the sudden uncomfortable sensation that this would be what it would be like for Dad if he ever came back. It wasn’t a reassuring comparison. 

“Not important.” He waved the question off with a gesture. “What matters is I’m here. Now boys, someone want to fill me in?”


	27. Story Teller

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exposition time.

The five of them ended up sitting around the table. Gabriel was careful to place himself between Sam and Gadreel, while Dean and Cass seemed to be both trying to be as close as possible while keeping a table between them. Gabriel rolled his eyes. He was gonna have to have a long talk to the elder Winchester later. 

“Alright boys I think it’s time for cards on the table. Gadreel? You first.”  
Gadreel was still looking at Gabriel in shock. He switched briefly to Castiel.  
“Is this who you were referring to when you said there were those who would restore heaven?” He asked.  
Castiel nodded.  
“Yes. I was recruiting angels for Gabriel. But I lost them. I’m sorry brother.” He replied sadly, looking at Gabriel. He expected him to be angry. He did not expect him to smile.  
“Don’t worry about it. All part of the plan Cassie.” Gabriel assured him before turning back to Gadreel.  
“Look, I know I haven’t been the best big brother lately. Though to be fair, I have been dead.” He said glibly. “But that’s about to change. I have a plan. But I’ve been waiting for something.”  
Gadreel looked at him questioningly.  
“You bucko. I needed you. Metatron’s been busy writing his script, but he’s been showing you the pages. I need you to give me the spoilers.”  
“How did you know I would come?”

Gabriel shifted a little uncomfortably.  
“Because I’ve been paying attention. Cass seemed to think he could convince you. And Sam here too, he believed it. Not your biggest fan. And neither am I for that matter-“  
“I know I’ve made mistakes.” Gadreel jumped in to defend himself. Gabriel’s face changed instantly from his usual smirking grin to something more savage.  
“Don’t interrupt.” He said with a wave that silenced the other angel.  
Castiel and the Winchesters looked at him in surprise. He’d rarely lost his temper with them. 

“Killing a prophet?” He continued harshly. “That’s a bit more than a mistake. And you and me are gonna talk about that when all this is over. But right now, you have information we…oh son of a-“

All three angels jumped, though Gabriel recovered easily. Sam looked at him concerned, while Dean looked at Cass. Gabriel just rolled his eyes and mimed talking to Sam with his hand, but he was listening carefully to the voice coming over angel radio, not so much to the words as the signal. That was something he could use. He filed the information away for later, and then turned back to the others.

“Interesting. Ok, well now we know where Metatron is. Or at least where he’s not. So, Gadreel. Talk.”  
After that Gadreel told them everything. Metatron wanted to be worshipped. He wanted to be loved, and not just by the angels. Which made sense given that he’d just broadcast a message informing them he’d be gone for a while. Gabriel watched him with hard eyes as he explained that Metatron was using the angel tablet to make himself more powerful.  
“Great, so he’s practically God. That makes him unstoppable.” Sam exclaimed.  
“Oh so he has an angel tablet and he’s unstoppable. I’m an archangel and I can’t even kill a Knight?” Gabriel replied sarcastically. 

“Wait, so can you stop him?” Dean interjected.  
“Yes. And no.” Gabriel explained slowly. It was time to explain to them all what his plan was. And why he’d done the things he did.  
“What does that even mean.” Gadreel cut in. Gabriel noticed Castiel was unusually quiet. So he addressed him first. 

“Cassie. Stop beating yourself up. You did the right thing.” Even here, it was concern for his brother that came first.  
“In fact you did exactly what I wanted.”  
“What?”  
“Dean didn’t kill Tessa. She’s in a room downstairs next to Josiah.”  
“Dean?” Of course he turned to his Winchester first. He’d actually been counting on that.  
“Hey look man, I’m sorry. But we weren’t getting anywhere. He said he had a plan. I didn’t know it meant feeding you to the sharks.”  
“It was a test Dean. For Cass, for Gadreel, but also one for the other angels.”  
“This isn’t a game anymore Gabriel. You can’t keep playing people like that!” Sam cut in angrily.  
“Enough.” The anger was back, just a little. He didn’t like that even Sam doubted him. 

“Look, no one’s playing Sammy. Except Metatron. I needed him to think he’d won. He’s been sitting up there, playing god with that stupid typewriter of his, writing the scenes for everyone to play out. And so far, everyone’s pretty much followed the script. Except you Sam. When you had the idea to bring me back? That wasn’t following the plan. And everything I’ve done since? I’ve been playing it as pretty close to it as I could. Because Metatron needed to believe it. He’s left himself open. It’s the final act and he thinks he knows what’s coming. He thinks he’s won. If he had it his way, you’d all be walking into a trap right now.”

“How do you know this?” Cass asked.  
It’s hard to explain. But you know how they say Dad’s omniscient? It’s not just His power. Archangels can do that too. It’s how you two chuckleheads got manipulated so well during the apocalypse. But it only works to a point. If we saw everything, everywhere, all of the time, we’d be insane. So we kind of tune it out. Right now, Metatron is the same. He’s been tweaking things here and there, checking different futures, different possibilities. He can’t take away your free will. But he can put things in your way, manipulate circumstances to try and make you choose what he wants. But I’m an archangel. I can see how the threads all come together. And you Sammy, you pulled a big one bringing me back. I’m powerful, so everything I do makes ripples. He should’ve seen it, but he doesn’t have the practice. He’s trying to play God, but he doesn’t know how to handle the controls. I’ve been doing this from the Beginning, and I’ve had a lot of practice hiding from heaven. So I’ve been following the threads he’s laying down, trying to avoid the worst of it. It’s why I’ve been stuck in here mostly.”

It actually felt good to explain. Some of the doubt had left Castiel’s eyes, and Gadreel was looking at him in wonder. The boys just looked confused. 

“Ok. So you’re saying he’s been laying out a script and trying to make us follow it. So why did I have to fake kill Tessa?” Dean asked. Trust him to boil it down to nothing.  
“Because Metatron still thinks you have the Mark. And Abaddon is dead. He’s seeing the story but not the details. He thinks you killed her. And once you did, you’d become a homicidal rage monster. Nothing but kill, kill, kill. If you still had it, we wouldn’t have been playing pretend.”

“And me?” Gadreel said. “What was my test?”  
“Metatron knows you’ve been asking questions. He picked you for a reason Gadreel. And not just because you needed a cause to serve. He wanted someone loyal, but just good enough that they’d eventually turn on him. Probably wanted some drama for the ending. A trusted person turned villain and spy and to lead his enemy into a trap. And who better than the one who let the snake in the garden.”  
At least this time the angel let him finish before defending himself.  
“I made a –“  
“Yeh, a mistake we know, you said it.” Gabriel cut off. “Don’t worry about it brother.”  
The other angel gaped at him.  
“You don’t blame me?” He asked incredulous.  
“I know my brother Gadreel. You never stood a chance against Luci. That doesn’t mean you haven’t made a lot of other mistakes since, but that one’s not on you.”

Gadreel didn’t know what to say. He’d been imprisoned for millennia, tortured by heaven for a mistake he’d made. But here was one who finally understood. Who even absolved him. It was all he’d ever wanted. Just someone to understand it had been a mistake. 

Sam tried to get them to refocus.  
“Ok, that’s nice and all, but doesn’t really help us now. Even if we are just following a script, that doesn’t really change anything. Metatron has the angel tablet. We need a way to beat him.”  
“Do you know why the tablets exist Sam?” Gabriel asked, looking up at him.  
“Well no, I mean I always kinda wondered why He bothered. It’s not like God would need a spell to do something.”

“You’re missing the big picture. The angel tablet doesn’t give you the power of God. It’s more like a recipe book. It’s all an archangel’s greatest hits. I could open and close the gates of heaven if I wanted. And I wouldn’t need a spell to do it. But it takes phenomenal power. So sometimes it’s easier to use a spell. That way, you’re drawing the power from the items rather than yourself. It’d take me a few days to recover from doing it the hard way. With a spell, I’d still be fully powered.”  
“So you can do anything on there?” Sam clarified.  
“And then some. It’s also good for power sharing. Take the Horn of Gabriel. I could whip that up on a wall right here, right now. It’s just something innate that only I can do. But Gadreel over here, could make it with a spell. Don’t think I’ve forgotten that was you by the way.” Gabriel threw Gadreel an angry look.  
“A little less powerful and a lot messier. But comes in handy if you need to do something only one person can do. Without resurrecting them.” He added with a wink at Sam. 

“Ok so what you’re saying is, Metatron, with the angel tablet, anything he can do, you can do better?” Dean added.  
“But he can do it without the power drain. He’s managed to channel it so that he doesn’t need the ingredients any more, but it’s still not his power he’s using. He’s just an angel. But it’s like trying to read instead of talk. And when it comes to a fight, I can best him with a blade.”

“Then why haven’t you? Why have you been sitting here, letting our brothers and sisters die, script or no script!?” Cass finally asked. He’d been listening, but not reacting.  
“Because it would be the apocalypse all over again!” he cried, finally losing his temper. “You’re all as bad as each other. Every time you make a mess, you come to me to fix it. But you never think to ask what that costs. I can’t just walk into heaven and take down Metatron any more than I could when I faced Lucifer. Not if I wanted any of the souls in heaven to survive!”

Castiel looked at his brother and finally saw what he’d been missing. Gabriel had always been frustrating. Because he felt like light and warmth and kindness, and Castiel trusted that. But he had acted as if he didn’t care about their brethren, didn’t see the need to stop Metatron. Now he could see the fine line he walked, weaving their actions around the tapestry that Metatron had made, while being bound by his duty. Castiel finally realised that if there was still an angel alive who cared for humanity the way their Father had intended, it was Gabriel. As much as he loved his family, he had weighed the souls in heaven as more important. And Castiel could not blame him for that. 

“I’m sorry for doubting you brother.” He said earnestly, dropping his head. He felt a warm hand rest gently atop his head and then move forcing his gaze upward to meet with the archangel’s.  
“You are forgiven brother.”

Both the angels could feel their brother’s love, and the warm steady power he was radiating as he reassured Cass. They looked at each other and stood together, walking around the table and kneeling before Gabriel, both of their heads bowed. The Winchesters watched in silence as Gabriel stood, slightly shocked but steady before the two angels at his feet.  
“Brother.” Gadreel started. “We would swear our loyalty to you, as the true ruler of heaven in our Father’s stead.”  
“Will you accept?” Castiel added, throwing his own oath in with Gadreel’s.  
Gabriel looked down at them for a long, heavy moment.  
“I do.” He intoned solemnly. There was silence. 

“Now get back up and help me plan.” He snapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure how well this all came together. It's a little bit of a mess. I hope it's not too confusing.


	28. Best laid plans of (Men and Angels)

“I thought you said you had a plan.” Dean grumbled as Castiel slid back into the seat beside him.   
“I do.” Gabriel replied, “Doesn’t mean it’s the only one, or even the best one. I’m open to suggestions.”  
“So, what’ve we got?” Sam asked.  
“Well I know what we’re not doing. We’re not sending these two into heaven to nab the angel tablet, while you two go after Metatron.” He replied evenly, snapping up a lollipop. He was feeling rather unsettled by his brothers declaration of loyalty and he wanted to make it clear he wasn’t going all overlord on them. It wasn’t his style. He also laughed at Dean’s face.

“That’s exactly what you were thinking, wasn’t it?” Gabriel commented.  
“Well yeh. If he’s powering up with the angel tablet, breaking it seems like the best plan right?” Dean replied.  
“I could get us into heaven. I know where the door is.” Gadreel offered. Gabriel smirked at him.   
“And that, boys, is exactly what Metatron is expecting. Why do you think he broadcast angel wide? He practically invited you in. He might as well have stuck a big neon sign with the words trap flashing across it.” 

“Alright, whats your idea then shortstack.” Dean growled at him. Gabriel grinned back.  
“I go after Metatron on earth. While all four of you sneak into heaven.”  
“Are you crazy?” Dean shot back. “What happened to ‘I can’t fight him’?”   
“What happened to ‘smash the angel tablet’?” Gabriel replied.   
“Once he’s powered down, I can start fixing all of this without a fight. But if I set foot in heaven, he’s going to notice. If you touch the angel tablet, he’s going to notice. I need to keep him distracted while you get the tablet.”  
“No offense, but why the Winchesters?” Gadreel asked. “Wouldn’t we be better off sneaking in on our own?”

“Nope. They’ll nab you as soon as you’re in there. I can give you a key to heaven’s cells, but better off to have back up just in case. And Sam and Dean are human. It’s much harder to find a single human in heaven than angels, especially now.”   
“Well that’s great, but how do we get in?” Dean asked.   
“Those two are going through the front door.” Gabriel said, pointing to Gadreel and Castiel.   
“You said you could get in right?” He directed his question to Gadreel.  
“I said I could find the door. But it is well guarded by two of Metatron’s most loyal.” Gadreel replied.   
“Who?” Gabriel asked, curious.   
“Asariel & Purah.”  
“Asariel? You’re sure?” Gabriel said, suddenly serious.  
“Of course. I recruited them myself.”

Gabriel sat back and considered that. It was a risk. But if he’d take it if there were no other options.   
“Ok. That might help. We’ll try basic subterfuge first. You’re still Metatron’s second in command. You can try to bluff your way through with Cass. But if that doesn’t work, Asariel and I go way back. Some of the law calls her an archangel, which isn’t true, but she’s one of the older angels. I might be able to talk to her.” Gabriel said, slowly. 

“Brother. I think you overestimate their loyalty to Metatron. And underestimate their loyalty to you. If you entered heaven, the host would follow you.” Castiel said.   
“I agree.” Gadreel said.   
Even Dean had to admit they had a point.   
“Look Metatron said it himself, he’s not a good option, just the best one they’ve got. You put yourself on the table, you’re looking a damn site better.”   
Only Sam was silent. 

Gabriel didn’t show how much their support meant to him. But he couldn’t do it. It wasn’t just that he needed to avoid a fight. He didn’t want to rely on a plan that hinged on the angels loyalty to him. He’d been gone a long time. And Lucifer’s betrayal had shaken him more than he cared to admit. If his own brother, the being he’d been closest to in all creation was willing to shove his own blade through his heart, how could he trust anyone else not to do the same? More importantly, what right did he have to command their loyalty? Reclaiming heaven wasn’t just about his brothers. He needed to prove his right to lead them before he could ask them to follow. 

“Guys, I appreciate the support. I really do. But I can’t risk a fight while Metatron is fully powered.”  
They tried to protest more, but Gabriel was adamant, and finally Sam called them off.   
“Enough guys. We’re not getting anywhere.”  
Gabriel threw him a grateful look.  
“So, Cass and Gadreel go through the front door. What about us?” Sam asked.  
“Just so happens I’ve got my own private entrance.” Gabriel replied, grinning.   
“What?”   
He enjoyed Castiel’s angry growl almost as much as Sam’s shocked expression. He wasn’t such a big fan of Gadreel’s doubt.

“Are you sure it’s still there? I secured heaven, and I did not find any other passages.” He said, unwilling to doubt their leader too much, but wanting to be sure.   
“Well of course you didn’t. It’s a secret.” He replied, smug.  
“How come you got your own backdoor to heaven?” Dean asked, slightly impressed.  
“Messenger of God. Had to have my own way in and out.” Gabriel replied smoothly. It had been built a long time ago, back when the four archangels had been modifying heaven to suit themselves. There hadn’t been any other angels at that point, and they’d enjoyed building secrets and tunnels. Their very own small acts of creation, while Dad had been off building the universe. He doubted anyone had found it since he left, except maybe Michael. He’d help build it after all.   
“Don’t worry guys, I already checked, it’s still there. But we’ll send you boys in that way. Priority is find the tablet.”  
“You’re sending them into heaven, alone. What happens when they run into an angel. This would have been better off a week ago, when they were all still on earth.” Cass criticized.   
“What, so they could run into Metatron and Gadreel here? Good plan Cassie. No, it needed to be now. And they won’t be completely unprotected.” He didn’t elaborate.

“It’s late. You boys need to get some rest. We’ll get a jump on looking for Metatron.” 

With that they were all dismissed.


	29. Big Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just Gabriel solving one problem after another.

Despite what he’d said, one of the first things Gabriel did as he stood up, after giving the angels instructions to keep watch, was lay down some decent soundproofing in the bunker. While it was generally ok for human senses, he was still able to hear everything, and there were a few conversations he planned to have that he didn’t want over heard, especially if Gadreel and Castiel were staying for the night. 

That done he set off in search of Dean. He wasn’t hard to find, having headed straight for his room. Gabriel considered knocking, but decided against it. That would imply he cared. Which he did, but he didn’t need Dean to know that. 

The room was empty when he walked in but he could hear the water running and so he flopped down on the bed to wait. It was worth it, seeing him jump when he came out, wearing just a towel.   
“What are you doing in here?”  
Gabriel made sure to grin and leer at him   
“Oh come on man that’s just wrong.” He said and walked back into the bathroom with some clothes. When he came back out he was fully dressed and Gabriel was still sprawled on his bed.

“Wrong angel, is that it Deano?” He asked.   
While he was absolutely certain there were a million more important things he could be doing in the universe, with his infinite cosmic power, tonight, he’d decided to play matchmaker.   
“What, like I haven’t seen you spend the two weeks making eyes at my brother?” Dean growled, clearly looking for somewhere to sit that didn’t make it obvious that he was avoiding the bed.  
“I could say the same to you.” Gabriel countered easily. Although if Gadreel started in on his fascination with Sam, he was officially handing in his Trickster badge. 

Dean looked at him guiltily, but shook his head.  
“Nothing doing Gabe.”  
“Oh yeh?” He finally sat up properly, fixing Dean with a hard look. “You seriously going to leave him hanging after what he did today?”   
“Hey, you’re the one who put him in that spot.” Dean countered, shifting against the wall where he was leaning.  
“No Dean. He made a choice. And he chose you. Again. Over everything he’s ever known or believed in. He thought he was losing everything and he still chose you.” It had hurt Gabriel to watch, hidden and warded at the back the room. It was even worse than trying not to snark his way through Metatron’s awful video message.   
“Well yeh I mean, we’re family.”   
Gabriel wasn’t sure which of them he wanted to smack, himself for how dense Dean was, or just go straight for the source. Instead his eyes narrowed and he looked at Dean carefully. The man shifted uneasily again and Gabriel was sure he was right. But he still gave Dean an out. 

“Look Dean. I don’t know what more you need to see that the guy is crazy about you. But he is. And he’s gonna need you. Now if you’re genuinely not interested, then I guess I’ll leave it. Not everyone’s made like that, I know. But if this is some homophobic, daddy-issue nonsense, or some pathetic fear of rejection, you need to stow it. Because Cass put his faith in you today, you’re the only thing he has left. And you need to show him you were worth it.”  
Gabriel stood to leave but Dean stopped him.  
“Even if it is true, why doesn’t he tell me himself.” Dean said angrily.   
Gabriel could sense the pride it cost him to say that, and for once there was no snark in his tone as he replied.

“Cass isn’t good with words, Dean. But he’s been telling you for years with everything that he does. He gave up his home, his family, everything he believed in. He’s been protecting you, killing for you, looking out for you for years. Every time you needed him he was there. He put you above himself every time. And every chance you have? You choose Sam. Or Lisa. Or whatever problem you happen to be dealing with. Castiel has had your back, and when he’s needed you most, when he was human and vulnerable, you didn’t give him the time of day. So no, he’s not going to say anything. Because as far he knows, you’ve already given him your answer.”  
With that Gabriel strode out of the room.


	30. I'm Running Out of Time (and titles)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes Cass just needs help.

Gabriel’s next stop was Castiel. He found the angel in the library, not really reading, but seeming to need something to do. It was a trait they shared, though Gabriel preferred getting something tasty out of the distraction.

The angel stiffened as he came in but nodded respectfully.   
“Hey Cassie.” Gabriel started, as he sauntered in and swung himself up onto a table and picked up a book to flick through idly.  
“Gabriel.” The angel wouldn’t look at him.   
“So, rough day huh?” Gabriel said conversationally, but he turned to study the other angel. Castiel was still stiffly looking through piles of texts, though they both knew he wasn’t reading them.   
“You could say that.” 

“Look Cass, I know you’re probably beating yourself up in there, but it needs to stop.” Gabriel sighed, taking a more direct approach. The angel always did better with direct.   
“They lost faith in me. They believe that I would…!”   
And that right there was the real issue. Dean’s doubt compounded by the doubt of the dozens of angels he’d had following him had left him doubting himself. Every time Castiel thought he was doing the right thing, every time he tried, it blew up in his face. But he still tried, tried to do better. He was so very human in that way. Gabriel didn’t like to see his brother hurting like this. Especially since it was partly his making. 

“We’ve been over this Cass. You did exactly what you were supposed to. I knew you’d never hurt Dean. And I knew Metatron was going to make you choose. Even Sam saw that one coming. If anything, I should be apologizing to you for putting you through that.” Gabriel said.   
And that was the real reason why he was playing end of the world match ups. He felt guilty about what he’d done to his younger brother. The least he could do was make sure he got the reward he so clearly deserved. Or at least get set on the right track, though Gabriel was sure Dean wouldn’t do that. He might call Cass family, but he definitely did not look at Sam that way. 

“You did what you had to.” Castiel replied, turning away sadly.   
The slump in his posture spoke of his dejection and Gabriel could see how broken he was. And Gabriel would never admit it, but it meant something that his brother would forgive him. Because they both knew he wasn’t just talking about today. On impulse he stood and drew closer, holding his arms open slightly. Cass hesitated, but stepped into the embrace gratefully. The angel was hurting worse than his usually stoic exterior let on, and he needed the comfort. Gabriel obliged, wrapping both arms and grace around his brother, warming him inside and out. 

“We make it through tomorrow, you’re gonna have to make another choice.” He said seriously. He didn’t want to put this on him but Cass nodded and he knew he understood.  
“But you’ve always got me.” He added. And he meant it. He loved each and every one of his siblings, including the lost and broken ones like Gadreel and he meant to show them how to be a family again.   
“Thank you, brother.” Castiel said. 

Gabriel was suddenly overwhelmed by how serious the moment had become. He wasn’t normally so open, preferring snark and humour to anything serious so he drew back with a smirk.   
“You know, we could all die tomorrow.”  
“I don’t understand why that makes you smile.” Cass replied confused.   
“Come on Cass, if this is your last night on earth, who’d you want to spend it with?” He explained with a wink.   
“I believe the correct answer is with something called self respect.” The angel said bitterly, turning back to keep flicking through the books on the table. 

Gabriel raised an eyebrow in surprise. He recognized Jo’s words. She’d been in a few of the Supernatural books, and what he’d seen made him want to find her heaven and give her a high five and a hug. Assuming they got heaven back. But he’d forgotten that Cass was there that night.   
“I told you brother, I do not think Dean-”  
The line and Gabriel’s own concern with Sam helped him click fast, and he cut him off. 

“Look, I know Dean’s got a reputation with women. So do I. That doesn’t change what I want. You’re an angel Castiel. You know some things transcend flesh. Before you jumped in, that meat suit was a straight-laced conservative guy with a wife and a kid. That doesn’t stop it wanting Dean, because you do.”   
Blushing was impossible for an angel, but Gabriel could have sworn Cass would have managed it. But he didn’t answer just continued to avoid looking at him. Finally Gabriel had to give up.   
“You’re as bad as Sam,” he said, “He was impossible to reason with too. Like talking to a brick wall.”   
He sighed, relenting a little, softening his tone.   
“You got a choice to make kiddo. I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting into.” He said quietly. Then he left. It was late, and if he was going to face the big boss fight tomorrow, he knew how he wanted to spend his last night. Or at least who he wanted to spend it with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies in advance for the next chapter.


	31. You Can't Run From the Past.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone needs to tell Sam how amazing he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, sorry about this guys. I played around with this for a while. I wasn't going to include it because I am grossly under qualified to deal with an issue this complex. But it's referenced in the show several times, and even though it's never really dealt with, it didn't seem right to ignore it, especially under these circumstances. So if you want to skip the non con/abuse elements, skip this chapter. I've basically split the action and the dialogue, so this one isn't necessary.

Sam headed to his room after the meeting, intending to sleep. But he waited up a while, wondering if Gabriel would follow him. Eventually though the long days caught up with him and he drifted off.

He wasn’t surprised when he was woken again from his dreams by a soft voice and strong hands. But this time he didn’t feel comforted. Sam was annoyed. It made him feel weak and vulnerable being seen like this and he hated that it was only when he was in distress that Gabriel gave any sign of affection. So Sam sat up abruptly and stared at the angel, brushing his hands off roughly. Gabriel looked surprised and a little hurt, but Sam wasn’t doing this anymore. It wasn’t what he wanted. So he lashed out.

“What are you doing here?” It came out harsh an accusing and something in the angel’s golden eyes darkened.  
“I came to help.” Gabriel said, steady.  
“I’m not some broken toy you need to fix”  
“Whoah, kid that not what I-“  
“I don’t need your pity Gabriel.” He said angrily, staring at his hands clenched into fists.  
“You think this is pity?” Gabriel exclaimed, shocked. He was staring at Sam in disbelief but Sam wouldn’t look at him.  
“Isn’t it?”  
“Sam. Look at me.”  
When Sam wouldn’t look up willingly, Gabriel took his face in his hands, tilting it up gently till their eyes met.  
“You don’t know how incredible you are, kid. And you’re not broken. Sure, you’ve got some issues. Dad knows we all have. But you’ve been through hell, literally. You were tortured, and manipulated and lied to and used and you’ve suffered more than I thought a human being ever could and still be sane. Hell, you should be dead! But you fought every step of the way.”

He reached out again, and was pleased when Sam didn’t brush him off this time. 

“Cassie told me about the hospital. When he took that from you, it floored him. An angel was put flat on his back by something you’d been walking around with for months, not just functioning, but still hunting, still helping people. Even when it was killing you, you were still saving people. You banished a ghost when you were barely able to stand because you wanted to help a girl you didn’t know!”

“You sacrificed everything for this world. You gave up any chance of peace, or heaven, willingly threw yourself to the devil to take him down. You over powered Lucifer. And you didn’t do that because you’re weak. You have more kindness and compassion than anyone I’ve ever met. You’re a good person Sam, in spite of everything they threw at you. And this? This isn’t pity.”

Gabriel was practically glowing with the strength of his words. He needed to make Sam understand how he saw him, not as something fragile and weak, but the strongest soul he’d ever seen. His pain brought out Gabriel’s compassion, but it was his strength he admired. Sam was staring at him now, something bright in his eyes and before he could react, Sam grabbed his jacket and pulled him forward, slamming his mouth down across the angel’s. 

Gabriel was so surprised for a moment he didn’t react. Sam was kissing him for all he was worth and he…well hell yeh he was gonna respond. He drew his hands up over Sam’s shoulders, simultaneously pulling him closer and holding him steady as he deepened the kiss. Gabriel had a lot of experience, and he expertly moved them closer together as he took control. He maneuvered himself up until he was straddling Sam, sitting in his lap, giving himself better leverage. Sam responded enthusiastically, one hand trailing up to thread through the angel’s hair, while the other settled on his hip. Gabriel’s hands were likewise occupied, running across his back and neck, and then down, creeping lower as he moved subtly against Sam.

Sam flinched back, and Gabriel froze.  
He drew back reluctantly and looked at Sam. His eyes were blown wide and he was breathing heavily, his hair rumpled, just a little out of control. Sam was similarly discomposed.  
“Too much?” he asked quietly, leaning in the rest their foreheads together, unwilling to draw away completely. But this was all about Sam, and Gabriel wasn’t doing anything that he wasn’t fully on board for.  
“Sorry, I know this isn’t what you’re used to.” Gabriel breathed softly. He’d been hoping they wouldn’t have to have this conversation, but it seemed like it was going to be unavoidable.  
Sam shook his head and took a deep breath.  
“Not my first.” He said shakily.  
Gabriel eased back so he was still sitting in Sam’s lap, but with enough space to look into his face, hands back on his shoulders. Like this, they were almost eye level. Normally he’d be tempted to laugh and make a lewd comment. But Sam didn’t sound like he was teasing and his voice was rough and almost angry.  
“Talk to me Sammy.” He said softly, drawing gentle fingers across his cheek.  
“I…this isn’t…I mean…” Sam was mumbling, face turned away. Gabriel reached up and tipped Sam’s face back till their eyes met and held.  
“It’s ok Sam. Whatever it is, it’s ok. We can stop.” He said, and made to move back, but Sam’s hand dug into where they were holding onto his hips, keeping him in place.  
“No, I don’t…” He trailed off again and took another deep breath, squaring his shoulders and facing Gabriel.  
“Lucifer.” Sam spat. 

Gabriel froze as what Sam was implying sunk in. He didn’t know how to react. It had never occurred to him before, but of course, Lucifer was creative and he’d had nothing better to do than torture this man for all eternity. Nothing would have been off the table. 

His first reaction was to draw Sam in, hold him closer and let him know everything was ok. Gabriel wanted to shield him from the world, protect him from anything else that might try to hurt him. But he knew pain was part of life and he couldn’t keep Sam locked away forever. And he didn’t know if his response would be welcome. His second instinct was to stop touching Sam completely, convinced that he couldn’t possibly be ok with it. But that was just as absurd. Sam hands were still on him, and he wasn’t asking him to leave. 

Tentatively he reached up to thread his fingers back through Sam’s hair and relaxed a little when he leaned into the touch.  
“I’m so sorry Sam.”  
Sam gave him a sad smile.  
“I’m ok. Really. I’m not gonna lie, it took a long time to get there. But I got help. When I was in the psych ward, they never told Dean, but we talked about it. And when I was with Amelia, I was seeing someone there as well. She helped a lot too. Never knew the details, but yeh. So I’m not saying it’s ok, because it wasn’t, but this isn’t new for me. I guess there just isn’t an easy way to say it.” 

Gabriel was watching him carefully, still gently dragging his hand through Sam’s hair soothingly.  
“It’s ok Sammy. You know you can talk to me if you need. And I’m not going to push you on anything here. But if you’ve got help and you say you’re ok, I believe you. We can take this slow, if you want.”  
Sam breathed out a sigh of relief. He really didn’t want to go into the details. He’d accepted what happened and he didn’t need Gabriel to make a big deal out of it. Part of the moving on process for him was to keep remembering that it wasn’t the most important thing. Still being able to be with someone and care for them was what mattered to him. And he cared about Gabriel. So he didn’t hesitate to bring his hands back up to bring the angel down into another kiss, this one drawn out and tender. 

They were both gasping when they finally drew apart, but there was no rush. Neither of them were under any illusions that this would go any further tonight. Sam lay back down pulling Gabriel with him and they rearranged themselves comfortably till Gabriel’s head was on Sam’s chest, one hand over his heart, softly tracing patterns as they lay together in the dark. Gabriel was content just with the sound of Sam’s heartbeat and his hand running along his back. For Sam, Gabriel’s warm weight was a comforting presence at his side. Together, they found peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I said, I'm really not qualified to deal with this, but I couldn't ignore it. So having Sam deal with this off screen in the past might seem like a cheat, and it is, but it's the best I can do.


	32. Finally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lots of Sabriel fluff.

It was late, and Sam knew he should be sleeping, but he wanted to draw out this quiet time. Tomorrow would come too soon, and Sam had already lost so many people. Everyone he’d been close to, he’d lost sometime or other, most of them for good. So he wasn’t willing to let this go, not yet. Gabriel was stretched out warm beside him, half curled around him, but he knew the angel didn’t sleep. 

“Are you nervous?” Sam spoke quietly into the dark.   
The angel moved beside him, snuggling closer.  
“Why? Because I have to face Metatron? Piece of cake.” Gabriel replied evenly with his usual humour. Sam tightened his arm around the angel, and waited. Finally he sighed.  
“Yes.” It sounded like a confession, and Sam was glad to see that some of the barriers he usually had up were gone. Sam had seen enough over the years, and especially recently to know that the angel rarely let his mask slip. There was a deep current of pain and sadness in there that he kept buried, but Sam knew better than anyone what that was like. And sometimes you needed someone who understood. He thought he knew what was really bothering the angel. 

“Are you sure you want to face him alone?”  
“I’m not going to risk anyone else, Sam. And we have a better chance the more of you there are up there. The tablet is the real goal.” He said quietly.   
“Then why aren’t you going for it?”   
This was the real question. Sam knew they’d argued about it during the meeting. While Dean and the two angels had tried to make that exact point, Sam had known there was more to it than Gabriel was letting on. So he kept his tone soft, not accusing, just curious and warm. 

Gabriel knew what Sam was asking. And he supposed it was only fair. Sam had trusted him with his fears, even the worst ones. It would be rude not to return the favour. And truthfully it was nice to have someone he could trust. If anyone could understand it would be Sam.  
“I can’t go back. Not yet.” He admitted reluctantly. “I haven’t set foot in heaven since Dad left. The others, they think the angels would welcome me with open arms. And maybe they’re right. That don’t mean they should. I need to earn that back. Because maybe if I hadn’t been such a coward, maybe if I’d stayed, things would have been different.”  
Sam did his best to offer silent support, making soothing strokes against the angel’s side.   
“You want to redeem yourself.” Sam said quietly. It wasn’t really a question but Gabriel relaxed against him, letting go of a tension he hadn’t known was there as he nodded. Of course Sam understood. He wouldn’t just let him off the hook, but he wouldn’t condemn him either.   
“Yeh. I really do.”  
They were both silent for a while, before Sam spoke again. 

“Do you really think you could have made a difference?”  
“I don’t know. But my leaving couldn’t have made it any easier. Michael ended up ruling alone, having to be Dad, when he should have had us. It can’t have been easy.” Gabriel said, and Sam thought he almost sounded nostalgic. 

Sam had a small moment of vertigo as he tried to process the fact that this being in his bed was almost as old as the universe and had not only met God, but was one of the rulers of heaven, that he could remember a time before angels, and earth. It made Sam feel very small and unimportant. Sam had always had more faith than Dean, and a little more respect for the things they met. But in the end, Dean’s way was closer to the truth. They were all just people. People with phenomenal power, and that were older than dirt maybe, but ultimately, still people. The archangel had the same fears and insecurities as Sam himself. So Sam pushed the feeling away. 

“What about Raphael?” Sam asked, “He was there too.”  
Gabriel actually snorted.  
“Raph? Yeh he would’ve been a big help.” He said sarcastically. “If anything, I’m surprised Michael didn’t start the apocalypse earlier, whether to get rid of him or because he’d finally nagged often enough.   
“Annoying baby brother?” Sam asked.  
“That one’s all me.” Gabriel replied, true amusement in his voice. “I’m the real baby in the family.”   
Sam couldn’t help but smile at that as well.   
“Raph was always very full of himself, even over the other angels, and especially humans. Hero-worshipped Luci. He probably would’ve wanted to let him out just to get him back” Gabriel explained, sad again.   
“You miss them.”   
Gabriel shifted nervously against him.  
“I miss what they were.” He admitted. “I miss being a family. But they’re not what I remember. I still love them. They’re my brothers. But don’t worry, Sammy, I’m not fool enough to open that box. Or try to bring Raph back. They had their chance. No, the angels deserve better than that. And I need to give it to them.” 

Sam couldn’t help the surge of affection he felt for this being. He cared so much, kindness and compassion surrounding him. Sam knew he’d never be able to see it, too distracted by his failures, but Gabriel shone with warmth and love. He’d be a good leader, nothing like the cold and imperious archangels Sam had dealt with. And certainly nothing like Lucifer. So he leaned down to place a soft kiss in his hair, surprising the angel, who smiled up at him, near as Sam could tell in the dark. 

“I’m going to miss you.” Sam couldn’t help but admit. He felt Gabriel shift against him in surprise, and then his face was inches from Sam’s own.   
“You don’t get rid of me that easily sweetheart.” Gabriel breathed, low and intense. Sam shivered  
“I might be gone for a while. But I swear I’m coming back for you. If you want me to?” He added, a small note of uncertainty tipping the words into a question. 

Sam didn’t bother with words, just reached up and dragged the angels lips down across his own, pouring heat into the kiss. By the time he drew back, they were both breathing hard, and Gabriel’s eyes glowed softly. Sam was quite proud of how close he’d brought the angel to losing control and had his own smirk on his face as he looked up at the angel.   
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Gabriel said, laughing. Sam couldn’t help joining in.


	33. About Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean goes seeking some fresh air and finds something else instead.

Dean lay in the dark a long time, Gabriel’s last words echoing in his head.   
You’ve already given him your answer  
It wasn’t true. Not really. It had broken something in Dean to force Cass out of the bunker. But that had been Gadreel. Cass was the one who hadn’t come to him after Sam fell. He was the one who’d taken in the leviathan, costing him his life. Every time, there had been nothing Dean could do. 

He needed air. The crushing sense of his failure was too much. Every time he’d denied the angel, every time he’d pushed him at someone else, or taken the path that led away. Even all the times he’d asked for help and never thanked him, or considered what it cost him. Every time Dean got close to something real with Cass something got in the way. All those times were clouding his mind, along with angry golden eyes calling him out, accusing him.

Dean stumbled out into the hallway, heading for the door. Gabriel hadn’t been wrong. Cass had sacrificed everything for Dean today, and all he wanted to do was scream that he wasn’t worthy. Almost one of the first things Castiel had ever said to him had been if he didn’t believe he deserved to be saved. That was even truer now than it had been then. He had oceans of blood on his hands, and not even the righteous fury that had kept him going for so long was left to him. He knew he’d made bad choices, ones he couldn’t defend even to himself. He was a coward. 

Getting out of purgatory where he’d been convinced he’d left his angel had almost killed him. It had wounded him so badly, he’d distorted the memory in his own mind, laying on the guilt. But again, Cass had saved him, sacrificed himself for Dean. As he had all along. And he could see now, Gabriel had been right. Cass had been telling him he loved him for years, without ever saying a word. And Dean had thrown it in his face every time. 

Outside, with the stars across the sky, no longer surrounded by walls, Dean almost felt like he could breathe. What he really wanted was to be moving. On the road, with his brother by his side, and his baby, blasting his music so he didn’t have to think anymore, just drive. He missed that, when life was simple. But it wasn’t an option right now. 

Dean had gone outside to escape but it seemed the universe was laughing at him. He practically ran face first into his angel. For all he knew, Gabriel had planned this. Dean hadn’t missed the part where he’d admitted to being able to manipulate destinies. Or hell, maybe God himself was playing matchmaker. He’d brought Cass back enough times. At this point Dean didn’t even know what was real or who was playing. 

Cass reached out, surprised, to steady Dean as they collided. He was not always good at reading people, but this was Dean, and even he could see that there was something very wrong.   
“Dean. What happened?”  
He wasn’t prepared for Dean to practically shove him off and growl at him.   
“Why are you here Cass?”   
“I came out to look at the stars-“ he started, confused.  
“No, I mean why are you here. With us. You keep coming back.” Dean exclaimed, aggression colouring his tone.

He wanted Cass to deny it, to have a reason that had nothing to do with Dean. But Castiel just stared at him in a mixture of hurt and confusion.  
“Have you been drinking?” He asked finally.  
“Yeh, I wish.” Dean muttered bitterly. He slumped a little, no longer looking like he was ready to take a swing, so Cass moved closer, placing a hand on his shoulder.  
“Talk to me Dean.”

From his vessel, he had to look up slightly to look Dean in the eye. Their gazes met and held, and Dean once again felt himself drowning in an ocean of blue. Except this time, thanks to a nosey archangel, Dean couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he wasn’t the only one falling here, that Cass had been falling too, maybe from the beginning. Dean was under no delusions; he knew they might all die tomorrow. So he did the one thing he swore he’d never do. He leaned forward and kissed his angel for all he was worth.

Dean couldn’t say he hadn’t thought about it before. But if he’d imagined it would be awkard, he was wrong. He’d forgotten that Cass was a surprisingly good kisser. Meg had proven that. The angel froze for a moment in surprise before dragging him around and pressing him firmly against the wall near the door he’d come out of. Then his hands were everywhere, in his hair, down his back and Dean gave himself over to. There was more than an edge of desperation and Dean tried to pull him even closer, but Cass resisted and drew back slightly. 

“Dean.”   
It was just his name, pitched low and accompanied by that bottomless stare, but it made Dean shiver. And either Cass had never looked at him like that before, or Dean had been blind, because there was love and acceptance shining in those eyes, so bright and pure, and everything Dean had ever wanted and all he wanted to do was run and hide, because he didn’t deserve this. Never had he ever done anything to deserve this kind of love, especially from this person, one who was so good, and kind and yet stronger than anyone Dean had ever met. 

“I don’t deserve you.” He whispered.   
That made the angels eyes widen in shock, and his hands tighten around him, even as Dean tried to move away. It made Castiel angry to see the haunted, defeated look on Dean’s face, and he wanted to banish it, wrap him up in love so tight, he never felt that way again. But first he had to make him see. 

“And what about what I deserve, Dean?”  
“You deserve better than me.” He replied, stubbornly.   
“I gave up everything for you. Does that not prove what you’re worth to me?” Castiel said, desperately. Dean just looked at him sadly, that self-loathing still in his eyes.   
“You know they said that to me once, the other angels. That you were doomed the moment you pulled me out of hell. Just touching my soul was enough to corrupt you.” Even after all that time, those words still haunted him.   
“We are all broken Dean. But I have always made my own choices. And that includes choosing you.” 

They were still pressed together, the full length of the angel against Dean, his back against the wall, faces inches apart. For a moment he was tempted simply to surrender, to damn them both. But if they made it through tomorrow, Gabriel would be reopening heaven. Cass could finally go home. Dean was sure the archangel had a way to fix Castiel’s grace. And he couldn’t take that away.

“I can’t.” Dean whispered.  
“Then why did you kiss me?” Castiel growled, louder, still determined, not willing to give up, not now what he wanted was so close.   
“Because I’m a selfish bastard, okay?” Dean yelled back.   
“Then so am I.” Castiel said, steel in his voice as he pressed back against Dean, ignoring his protest, preferring to speak with his actions as he always had. 

Dean didn’t truly resist. If he had, Castiel would have stopped. But as much as he felt unworthy and undeserving, he couldn’t deny that this was what he wanted. Their kiss turned almost violent as they each tried to pour their passion, anger and guilt into it. It was Castiel again who first drew away, breathing hard. Dean’s green eyes were blown wide, and he was grateful for the wall behind him, because he didn’t think he’d be able to stand up otherwise. 

Dean reached up to brush his fingers over the surprised angels cheek as he whispered his name. It was the gentlest he’d been so far, and there was affection in the gesture. It was less intimate than kissing, and yet, to Castiel, it was so much more. This was the Dean he wanted, kind and vulnerable. This time when he leaned in to draw his lips against the hunters it was soft and slow, trying to communicate his love through every breath. And Dean responded, finally yielding completely. There was no more resistance in him as he let himself go limp, trusting Cass to keep them both steady, and letting his hands wander. 

After a while, tender became heated again, building between them, no longer angry but warm and insistent as Cass drew his lips down Dean’s throat, and Dean thought that maybe, just this once. Tonight they could have this. He lifted a hand to draw the angels face away. Cass made a sound of protest that made Dean smile.

“What do you say we take this back to my place.”   
He said the familiar line with an easy drawl, still smiling. The shock on Cass’s face made him laugh this time, but no one could doubt his enthusiasm. Dean knew this was only going to make it harder. He was going to lose him in the morning, one way or the other. But tonight? Well, he would make this a night to remember.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that was hard. These two just don't want to be happy!


	34. Viral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Sam hit the road tracking Metatron

When Gabriel walked into the meeting room the next morning, he was surprised to see Castiel and Dean already seated at the table. He looked between his brother and the hunter suspiciously, and then broke into a wide grin.  
“I can’t believe that actually worked!” He announced loudly, walking over to lay a hand on Castiel’s shoulder.   
“Congrats little bro.” 

“What for?” Sam asked, walking in with coffee. He set on cup down in front of Dean, who took it gratefully, and headed for his own seat.   
“Seems little Cassie here finally took your brother to church.” Gabriel replied with a wink, making the innuendo clear, flopping down into a seat near Sam. Dean startled and tried to protest while choking on his coffee. Gabriel knew the best part of comedy was timing. 

“Hang on-“ Dean was trying to glare at Gabriel and look at Sam with something that Gabriel almost thought was fear, but Sam just laughed.  
“Finally.” He practically shouted with a grin.   
“Wait, what do you mean…You knew!” Dean growled.  
“I’ve been watching you guys stare at each other for five years Dean. I even had to leave the room sometimes. Honestly, I was this close to locking you both in a cupboard.” Sam replied cheerfully. It was true too. He’d been silently rooting for the angel to finally make his brother wake up and see what was right in front of him. 

Dean didn’t seem pleased to be suddenly outed and turned on his brother.   
“Yeh well what about you and short stack?” He said defensively. Sam glared at his brother, but Gabriel’s smirk just grew wider.   
“Sorry Deano, you and Cassie were the only ones getting any action last night.” He said, mock sadly. 

“I have a lead on where Metatron is.” Gadreel said, walking in, making all four of them jump guiltily. Gabriel wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or regret the soundproofing. He hadn’t heard Gadreel coming, but then he probably hadn’t heard them either. If he was annoyed to have been left alone all night doing all the work, or seemed to notice the way they were paired off around the table, he didn’t give any sign. 

“Pull up a chair.” Gabriel said genially, waving over at him. He seemed a little surprised but sat down stiffly. Gabriel felt Sam tense a little beside him, and placed a hand on his knee beneath the table.   
“Alright, tell us what you found.”  
“It is a video.” He replied, setting the laptop in his hands onto the table, and spinning it around to show them. On the screen was what started out as some amateur video from a couple of kids, turned snuff film as a car hit the woman behind them. Dean wasn’t the only one feeling a little cynical that they seemed to be so shocked, but kept their phone camera rolling and pointed at the scene. But they were distracted by what was clearly Metatron as he leaned down to heal the woman, whispering in her ear as he stared up into the camera. 

Gabriel couldn’t help but snort in amusement.   
“Subtle. Alright boys, time for some leg work. I need you to go find out what he said.”  
“And what are you gonna do?” Dean challenged. Gabriel had pretty much taken charge since he’d arrived, but that didn’t mean Dean liked it. Even if he had to admit, the archangel probably did have a much better idea what they were doing.   
“I’m gonna give my brothers here an upgrade.” He said mysteriously. “Now hurry up.” 

It didn’t take Sam and Dean long to track the woman down. They posed as reporters and politely sat and listened to her gushing over “Merv” before she told them what he’d said. It turned out to be his next location. That was when what Gabriel had said about a script really came together for Sam. Metatron wasn’t trying to hide. He was trying to tell a story. Giving them the location of his next show was just moving them into position. It struck Sam as rather lazy. Whispering in someone’s ear, and expecting them to track it down (assuming they’d seen the video) was convoluted. It seemed wrong that the next clue wasn’t so much a clue as a point on a map. It seemed obvious to Sam at least, that Metatron was trying to rush them into the finale.

Sam called Gabriel to fill him in. There was a long silence on the end of the line before he replied.  
“Gadreel and Cass are heading for the doorway now. They’re going to try and bluff their way through. I’m gonna send you some coordinates. It’s not far. Call me when you get there.”  
With that he hung up. 

As they drove, Sam tried to talk to Dean.  
“So, you and Cass huh?”   
“Oh bite me Sammy.” Dean growled, but couldn’t quite hide the small grin. It made Sam glad to see it and he said so.   
“Yeh well, you weren’t looking so bad yourself this morning.” Dean countered. 

As much as the little angel might annoy him, he had to admit, he’d been good for them. Dean was feeling much more like himself since the mark was gone. He hadn’t even realised how bad it was. Abaddon was officially taken care of. And he was good for Sam. Dean might pretend not to notice, but he’d known Sam his whole life, and always looked out for him. He could see the difference the angel had made in just a short time. And Dean was happy for him. He might not have been around long, but Dean knew how quickly Sam became attached. And while he might not be what he’d expected for his brother, Dean was hardly one to judge. He was in the same boat. He didn’t know what they were going to do if they succeeded today. They seemed set up to take a hit no matter which way it fell. 

Even so, it was good to be back on the road with his brother. It was what he’d wished for last night. They were finally back in a good place. Sam was more relaxed and happier, and that was worth everything to Dean. It wasn’t perfect. They still hadn’t really talked about Gadreel, or the fact that Dean had tricked him. He tried to bring it up. 

“Look Sam. I want you to know, I’m sorry for this whole Gadreel angel mess. I never should done that.”   
Sam looked at him hard.   
“I get why you did it Dean. But you have to promise me. Next time? No more loopholes. We keep trying to find ways to save each other, but we can’t keep doing that forever. Not when it ends up like this.” He said seriously.   
He’d done a lot of thinking the past week. And that’s what it came down to. He could forgive Dean because he knew he’d been desperate. But it was costing them more every time. He’d almost lost Sam anyway. And once they had this mess cleaned up, he didn’t want to start another one. 

Dean was silent for a long moment.  
“Yeh ok.” He said finally. Sam almost did a double take.  
“Ok? That’s it?”  
“What you want me to argue.” He said, unsure.  
“Well no. But I didn’t expect it to be this easy.”  
“Look Sammy, I know the kind of mess we’ve made. The kind of mess I’ve made. And you’re right. I’m not saying I’m ready to let go. And I think there’s an archangel out there who’s gonna make damn sure you stay alive. But I promise, no more poking at things we don’t understand. I learned my lesson with the mark. So no more demon deals, no more faith healers or any of that crap, unless Cass or Gabe can bring us back.”

Sam decided he could live with that. As much as he wanted to make Dean leave the angels out of it, he knew his brother. He needed that little bit of hope. And he supposed he was right. Sam had a feeling Gabriel wouldn’t interfere if they were headed for heaven. But he probably wouldn’t let them end up anywhere else. It had been a concern for Sam, ever since he’d got Bobby out of hell, that they’d end up back there. After all, if anyone deserved heaven it was Bobby. Even Naomi had agreed with that. But it hadn’t stopped Crowley from highjacking him. With Gabriel and Castiel looking out for them, Sam felt safer. Assuming they could stop Metatron. 

They both felt better, knowing that they were ok with each other, back to being brothers. It wasn’t always perfect, and Sam knew they still had a long way to go. But they’d felt properly like a family the past few days, for the first time in a while. And so they both relaxed as Dean turned up the radio and enjoyed the ride, comfortable in the car that had always been home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realised I was missing a brotherly bonding moment, so this exists now. Also, I realise this is a conversation that's happened a few times, but I wanted to add it in again.


	35. Who Said Anything About a Stairway?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Boys are breaking into heaven. Surely that's a sin?

Gabriel was pacing impatiently. He’d sent Cass and Gadreel off to make their way to the door. Cass was supposed to pray if anything went wrong, but Gabriel wasn’t sure that was a risk he’d actually take. Both angels had denied the power up Gabriel had offered. Because they’d sworn themselves to him, as an archangel he could reconnect them with heaven, reinstating them properly as full members of the host, making them considerably more powerful. But not without alerting Metatron. They’d both opted to maintain Gabriel’s secrecy rather than take the potentially life saving power. It made Gabriel nervous just how much of their plan was counting on him.

He had however managed to fix Castiel’s grace. It was delicate work. Gabriel’s own grace was vastly more powerful and could easily overwhelm the lesser angel. He could end him with less than a snap. Add too that the grace was already unstable, and Gabriel had needed to work very carefully. He’d tinkered a little with the borrowed grace, changing its resonance to match Castiel’s, fusing them together seamlessly. It wasn’t a perfect fix. Castiel’s own grace would still be preferable. But he was no longer at risk of burning out. 

Finally, the message came through from Sam and he snapped himself to meet them. It was a small town in rural Kansas. The last time Gabriel had been there was a week ago. Before that? America hadn’t even had people. They were waiting for him outside a warehouse, discretely tucked back from the street, looking nervous. 

“Hey boys, welcome to heaven’s back door.” He said jovially by way of greeting.  
It was only technically true.   
“Ok, what do we do?” Sam asked.   
“I’ll give you a map. Gadreel gave me a rough layout. You need to find Metatron’s office and get the tablet. Our best case? Cassie and Gadreel get through and we’re home free. If they get nabbed, I’ve given them what they need to break out. Keys first, then sigils. So you don’t need to worry about them. Just don’t get caught. Here.” He said, handing them two hex bags. The boys took them warily and Gabriel felt them instantly vanish. They would keep them hidden in heaven. The ingredients had been almost impossible to find. But sometimes, spells were handy, especially when working with humans. 

“Ok, here goes.”   
Gabriel snapped and instantly there was a portal behind them. Sam gave him a long look, one that he answered by reaching up and pulling the hunter down for one last, scorching kiss. He heard Dean make a disgusted noise, but Sam was kissing him back without hesitation, and well if that wasn’t just damn near perfect he didn’t know what was. Finally he drew back.   
“Whatever happens, you take care of yourself alright?”  
“Come on man, that’s my brother.” Dean grumbled behind them.   
But Gabriel was focused on Sam. He nodded once, then drew back.  
“You too Gabe.” 

“Alright, come on.” Dean said walking past. But Gabriel wasn’t imagining the smile Dean was trying to hide. And Gabriel was surprised to find that mattered too.  
“You too Dean. I expect you back in one piece.” He said, looking up at the older hunter. He shifted uncomfortably, but nodded back.  
“Yeh, yeh I’ll do my best. Just make sure you give him hell from us.” Dean grumbled. That was something they could all agree on.   
“You betcha. Now here.”  
He reached up and dropped the map directly into their minds, making them both blink and protest. He just shrugged at them.   
“Have fun.” He said with a smile. 

It didn’t last as the boys stepped out of sight.


	36. Confrontations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel and Metatron finally face to face.

Gabriel turned up early. He wanted to keep an eye on Metatron, and he needed to know the moment the angel tablet was broken. It was lucky that he did. It was obvious to everyone what character Metatron was playing. “Merv” was supposed to be homeless, humble, and miraculous. It was a very old story that he was copying. 

So it made sense that his next stop was a small homeless community. Maybe it was bad luck, or maybe God really was watching in disapproval. But for whatever reason, Metatron just happened to choose a community that had a resident angel. Gabriel watched, undetected as “Merv” was recognized and performed his small miracle, curing a man of his diabetes. They were both very surprised when another angel, Aithen, stood up to denounce Metatron as the fraud he was.

This put Gabriel in a really awkward position. There was no way he going to stand here and let another angel die. Not now, not when it was right in front of him and he could prevent it. But it was too soon. He hadn’t heard from the others, and he’d sense the angel tablet breaking. Which meant Metatron was still at full power. Which was fine for Gabriel. But not for the dozens of people nearby, or even this angel he wanted to save. 

Gabriel remembered Aithen. He was an earnest and solemn angel who had taken his duty seriously. And it seemed in his time on earth, even after his fall, he’d continued that work. Gabriel could see a few around who had the slight shimmer of angel healing on them. Where Metatron had gone for grandiose as always, this faithful little seraph had been here, living as a human, not drawing attention, but trying to help humanities forgotten. To Gabriel, that kind of loyalty deserved repayment. Even if the humans weren’t going to give it to him, as they turned on him, defending their new saviour. 

“What’s true is what I can see with my own two eyes.” From a woman who was defending Metatron.  
And there was his cue. He could see the darkness spreading through the humans. There was anger here, and Gabriel would not put it past Metatron to use these humans to harm his brother. And he was not going to allow it.  
“Then take a good look sweetheart, cause this is the real deal.” He said, stepping forward, shedding wards and glamours like shadows as he moved into the light. He was still contained, appearing as nothing more than a common man. If he could diffuse this tension without revealing himself he would. Though he wasn’t above a little drama.

“Who are you?” One of the humans asked, as both Aithen and Metatron stared at him in shock.  
“Gabriel!” his true brother exclaimed in joy.  
“What are you doing here?” The imposter said, confused and Gabriel was pleased to see, afraid.  
“I could ask you the same thing brother.” He said casually, before turning to the crowd.  
“Sorry guys, hate to break up the show. But my friend here is right. This guy’s nothing but a fraud.”  
This was his element. He’d commanded legions of followers for hundreds of years, humans would come in droves to worship before his throne. He knew how to play a crowd. But these people were angry, deeply angry, at the world that ignored them, at everyone and everything. They saw “Merv” as a miracle and salvation, and they didn’t want to let go of that hope.

“Fraud?” The one called Jorge came forward. “He healed me! Who are you to call him a fraud?”  
Gabriel grinned over at him. He had no need to fear these humans. And he’d become a trickster for a reason. He liked mischief. Right now he was a cat among pidgeons. Metatron had them believing in miracles, and Aithen had already announced himself as an angel. It meant Gabriel could have a little fun.  
“What that? Cheap parlor trick. Watch this”  
He snapped his fingers and Aithen was gone. He’d sent him to the bunker, safe, away from Metatron. 

There were surprised gasps around him, and he smiled widely, just a hint of a threat as he looked at Metatron. The scribe looked around him at the human’s faces. Most of them looked uncertain, but that same brunette was glaring at Gabriel.  
“That’s what I call a cheap trick. This man has helped us!” She protested.  
Gabriel looked at her, and he softened just a little. She might be stubborn, not to mention wrong, but she was a true believer, and right now she was buying exactly what Metatron had been trying to sell. She saw her true Messiah. And Gabriel couldn’t really blame her for that. 

“Listen to me, sweetheart. This guy? Just an angel. Just like me, and just like that guy you were about to pummel.” He turned and gave a significant look at the guy who had a rock in his hand. It grew hot in his hand and he dropped it immediately, startled.  
“He’s not here to help you. He’s here to trick you. Which,” he added in an aside addressed directly to Metatron, “normally would be my department. Gotta say kiddo, you got ambition. But sloppy. Very sloppy.”  
“What like you? ‘TV land’? Really?” Metatron shot back. 

Gabriel grinned widely. That was what he’d been waiting for. Metatron was proud, and it would be his downfall. Gabriel knew he couldn’t help but respond to criticism. It was Lucifer’s weakness too, one Gabriel had exploited mercilessly back in the day.  
“Oh come, that was classic! Better than this whole gig you’re trying to sell, Merv.” He stressed the last word, making it clear what he thought of Metatron’s chosen name.  
“They love me! Besides, what did you ever do, Gabriel. You ran away! I’m making a difference.” 

It was a mistake to use his name. He’d tried the same mocking tone Gabriel had used on his, but all it did was prove to the humans listening that he knew him. Just as Aithen had. He was pulling the threads on his own story, and didn’t even seem to realise.  
“Trying to play Dad? That your big plan Metatron? You can’t even write your own script. It’s nothing but reruns with you.”  
“Because you’re so original! Humans have been recycling the same petty drama since forever. At least I make it interesting.” 

Metatron was getting worked up, slipping more and more, not even paying attention to the humans muttering and looking at each other. Gabriel smirked.  
“At least they know better than to put themselves in the story Metatron. It’s too easy to get carried away.” He said with a wink.

That got Metatron’s attention. He looked around at the humans staring at him, and realised he’d completely thrown away his humble human persona in arguing with his brother.  
“You tricked me!” He said angrily. Gabriel couldn’t resist an opening like that.  
“Hello, Trickster.” He drawled, even though it wasn’t technically true any more. “Besides, brother, what did you expect? Humanity to fall on their knees? How was that going to go?”  
“I wanted them to love me!” Metatron yelled, furious.  
He hated being tricked, hated that someone had managed to outwit him. He thought of other angels as being petty, rule bound, uncreative sheep. And in his anger, he didn’t care about the humans watching, he just wanted to outdo this smarmy, smirking apparition. 

“Why?” the archangel asked.  
Gabriel’s face was hard, and savage. He was also stalling. He knew people like this. They liked to talk. Liked to show off how clever they were. Gabriel could speak from experience. The villain monologue was a classic for a reason. Ego needed an audience. 

“To prove I was better!” Metatron shouted. “To show Him…”  
“Wait, this is about Dad?” Gabriel gave a low whistle. “You sorry sap. What makes you think he’s even watching?”  
“Ah, because he’s God” Metatron shot back sarcastically. “Kind of part of the job description.”  
Gabriel just shook his head. His anger was fading now. Because how could he stay angry and someone so pathetic?  
“You think He cares what we do? He’s gone. He doesn’t care any more. You think if you mess with his precious toys, he’s just gonna show up? Luci tried that one too, didn’t work out so well”  
“Lucifer was a spoiled child. I have much bigger plans that that.” Metatron said defensively. 

Despite his focus on his brother, Gabriel hadn’t forgotten the humans around them. They were putting it all together. Lucifer and Gabriel, angels, referring to God as Dad, some were looking at them in fear, most were looking like they were crazy. The ones with awe on their faces were the ones who’d seen the healing for themselves, and knew they were not ordinary humans. Gabriel was a little concerned, but not too much. Humanity had a way of dealing when its delicate sense of the world had been threatened. It was usually denial. 

Still, this was getting too heated. So he turned back to the humans.  
“Still think this guy’s your Messiah?” He said casually.  
Several looked at him in confusion, and he could see the broken hope in the brunette girl’s eyes. He looked directly at her, eyes glowing a little.  
“Don’t give up on your faith, little one. But don’t believe every thing that turns up with a little mojo. There’s a lot of frauds out there, but only one God. And he don’t do house calls.” 

“Now everyone, I suggest you scram. I need to talk to my brother.”  
He let just a little power leak into his voice, giving it a ring of authority, and no small amount of threat. The humans moved. Some of them ran. They were the smart ones.  
“So. What now Gabriel? You know I was kind of expecting Dean. But that doesn't matter. I have the angel tablet! You can’t beat me.” Metatron tried to switch tactics. “Why don’t you join me instead? I could use someone like you.”  
Gabriel laughed.  
“You want me to work for you? Now that’s a good one. But I don’t work for anyone. And we both know I can beat you.” Gabriel replied.  
“Ah but I know your little secret.” Metatron said, smugly.

Gabriel paused, uncertain, but he didn’t let Metatron see it.  
“Oh yeh? Which one, I’ve got quite a few you know.”  
“I know why you couldn’t fight Lucifer. And that’s why you can’t beat me now. Because you’re a coward. You want to stop me? Come get me.”  
With that Metatron disappeared, a second before Gabriel could stop him. He knew where he’d gone. It was the one place he’d been trying to avoid. He’d gone home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really liked that angel, the one who stood up to Metatron. So I wanted to save him. He didn't have a name though, at least that I could find, so I made one up. 
> 
> Also, these two love to talk. A lot. So sorry for anyone who was expecting a dramatic fight scene. That one's coming.


	37. Guided Tour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Operation heaven: The boys and the angels are in heaven and looking for the tablet.

Castiel and Gadreel had bluffed their way through the door. They should have known it wouldn’t be that easy. Gadreel had pretended to be bringing Castiel in on Metatron’s orders. It was a decent plan. After all, the rebel leader was wanted. But instead of Metatron’s office, they found themselves in separate cells, back in heaven’s jail.

Gadreel was doing his best to stay calm. They’d known this was a possibility. In fact, given the tools Gabriel had provided them with, it seemed likely that he’d known this was coming. Gadreel had placed his faith in the archangel, and this sealed it. He might have let them walk into a trap, and that might make another doubt him. But for Gadreel, he’d provided them the means to escape and trusted them to make their own way. That was more important, for someone to have faith in him.

They waited until there was only one guard, Castiel’s former second in command, Hannah. She was one of the good ones. Castiel tried to reason with her, explaining what Metatron had done.  
“You want me to believe that he set you up? To make him look like the victim?”  
She asked. “You said no more angels would die.”  
“What do you think I’m trying to do?” He said desperately.   
“Trying. But failing. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”  
Castiel was arguing because he could see Hannah was wavering. She was home, and with the other angels, but they all knew something wasn’t right. None of them really trusted Metatron. They just trusted him more than Castiel. But he knew Hannah, had worked with her. So he wanted to try. He took a risk. 

“Do you know what this is?” He said, reaching into his pocket and taking out the key. He didn’t know how Gabriel had ended up with a key to heaven’s cells, but he trusted it would work. His belief was confirmed when Hannah looked at him in shock.   
“How did you-?”  
“This was given the me by…a friend. One who very much wants to see heaven restored. But we need your help. We have to find the angel tablet.” 

Castiel could see that working on her. A key to these doors meant several things. Including the fact that they weren’t really locked in. But it also meant help, help from someone who knew heaven, someone with power. While she might not suspect the truth, it was enough to make her question.   
“Promise me no one else gets hurt.” She said finally. Castiel looked her in the eye.   
“I promise to try.” It was the best he could do.   
He watched the indecision in her eyes as she wavered, before finally stepping back and nodding. He took that as permission to move forward and work the key into the door. When it snapped open, the last bit of doubt was gone.

Gadreel had stayed mostly silent, trusting Castiel to talk to his former partner. After all, his word was worth very little in heaven, and these cells were getting to him. He’d spent thousands of years looking at this stone. But now, he needed to let them go. It was a powerful thing for him to finally have the means to exit this room on his own. As he fit the key to the door and felt it open, he wondered if maybe their brother was even more clever than he’d realised. It set something free in Gadreel taking that first step out under his own power.

From there they made their way through the main hall. There were still very few angels in heaven. Of those who hadn’t been decimated by the fighting, only a handful were allowed in this section. Most were still stuck on earth. They took a single angel hostage and that was enough to stop the others. They had all seen enough blood shed, and none of them were willing to die for Metatron. Seeing Hannah fighting for Castiel once more also helped to demoralize them. She didn’t realise it, but most of the angels truly followed her. In Metatron’s office, they were surprised to run into Sam and Dean.

The brothers had arrived in heaven nearby. This was clearly the office area, and there were doors along the corridor. The big one at the end, Sam didn’t need to guess who’s that was. The one they’d come out in? Sam knew that was Gabriel’s office. Sam supposed it made sense his own private door would be in his room. There were piles of papers all over the desk, but other than that, it was almost completely empty. It clearly hadn’t been used for a long time. In the hallway, three other doors, impressive in different ways clearly marked the other archangels. Lucifer’s looked like it had been set on fire. Sam felt that was fitting. Michael’ and Raphael’s stood closed. 

The first time they’d run into an angel they’d panicked. But the angel had walked straight past, only pausing briefly with a look of confusion that was quickly shaken off. Three more times it happened before they realised Gabriel had angel proofed them. No one could see them. It didn’t take them long to find the right door, with the help of Gadreel’s map. 

The office was ornate, with a huge desk and a fireplace, books crammed on every surface. It seemed Metatron had gone for old world power as his inspiration when designing. It made Sam briefly wonder what God’s office might look like. He suspected it to be like Gabriel’s, messy and neglected, the product of a bored and restless mind. After all, they’d both left heaven, both chosen to spend their time hiding out on earth, driven out by the loss of their family. Sometimes Sam wondered if the archangel wasn’t more like his father than he thought. It would actually explain a lot, though it was a scary notion, the idea that God might have Gabriel’s sense of humour. 

Either way, Sam doubted it would look like this. There was so much stuff, so many things to go through. And that was assuming it was here. After all, they were only working on the assumption that the tablet was in Metatron’s office. In truth, he could have hidden it anywhere. 

They jumped when Castiel and Gadreel burst in, with one of the angels they’d met at the command centre holding another angel prisoner. They closed the door behind them, locking Hannah and the other angel out after she proved less than helpful. Sam and Dean realised at the same time that neither angel could see them as they started searching, and with a look and a shrug at each other, ditched the hex bags that were keeping them hidden. 

Castiel jumped when Dean appeared, but moved over to place a hand on his arm. Sam and Gadreel nodded at each other, an acknowledgement, if not a greeting.   
“You find anything?” Dean asked.  
“No. But it must be here.” Castiel replied, letting go and moving around the room. 

They spent several frantic minutes pulling things apart before Cass and Sam spotted the typewriter at the same time.  
“Didn’t Gabriel say something about that?” Sam said, even as Castiel moved towards it. But they were too late.

“Hey boys. Fancy meeting you here.” Metatron was there, slamming them all back against the wall.   
“Dean, I was waiting for you. I see you lost your mark. Pity, you were supposed to be part of the finale. But no matter, you’re here now.”  
He said casually before turning on Gadreel.  
“And my very own Judas. Et tu Brute eh?”  
“Metatron.” Castiel growled. “You will not get away with this.”  
“Oh I’m sorry, you mean your little friend? You’re gonna have to tell me that story sometime. But he’s not coming. He’s too much of a coward to come back here.” Metatron said confidently. 

Just then, the whole room started shaking.


	38. Final Showdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this is it. I hope you like it.

Gabriel stood alone on the pavement for a long moment. How could he have been so stupid? He let Metatron talk, and he’d fallen into his own trap, talking instead of acting. He should have tried to ground the angel immediately. Should have drawn him out longer. Anything to give the boys more time. Now Metatron was back in heaven, almost definitely with the tablet. And Gabriel knew what he had to do.

There was only one way to end this. He had to go back. But long millennia stretched behind him. He hadn’t ever thought he’d go home. Certainly not like this. While the toll of earth would have been catastrophic, that was nothing compared to the damage that could be done in heaven. The kind of power they could both use, that near the vulnerable souls, tucked safely away in their own heavens? They could destroy everything. Gabriel drew his power around him sadly. He would finish this now. All he could do was have faith. 

Even so he was angry, the true burning anger of an archangel, a power he hadn’t felt in a long time. He might not be Lucifer who burned like the morning star, or Michael, the sword arm of God. But he had his own power. As he came, he was tempted to do many things, to break down the gates of heaven and enter in righteous fury, to shake heaven’s very foundations with his wrath. But he couldn’t. 

He did however let a little of his temper bleed out, dissolving the constructed walls of heaven, what were simply forms of thought and matter until all of heaven, save the souls own refuges, was laid bare and open. No more desks, no more corridors or offices, or trappings that had changed with the human centuries. This was heaven brought back to its purest state. The ground shook with his power, and he felt his wings flaring bright and wide behind him, blinding gold and towering, dwarfing all the lesser angels. 

His was pleased to see his humans had the sense to close their eyes as he manifested, crashing into heaven, but he drew himself back enough that they could look at him safely. Metatron was staring at him in shock.  
“You came.” He started. Gabriel cut him off with a gesture. 

Around them the angels gathered. Most of them called out to him, but for now he ignored them. Castiel and Gadreel, now free, came and stood behind him in a clear show of loyalty, Castiel sheltering the two humans.  
“I will give you one chance Metatron.”  
It was flat and deadly, the voice of an archangel, and it shook all present. Without taking his eyes off Metatron, he turned to Castiel and snapped. The boys were gone, sent back to the bunker. He couldn’t allow them to remain here. 

“Look at that, still pandering to human pets. Just like Castiel. You’re no better than him.” Metatron tried to argue.  
Gabriel didn’t even bother responding. He wanted to let his true-self spread out from his vessel, to show this pathetic creature the true meaning of power. But he didn’t. 

“I want no more blood shed in heaven.” He said heavily.  
“You think anyone believes that? With you standing there threatening me?” Metatron scoffed. He was still trying to appeal to the crowd, but Gabriel didn’t care. He drew his blade.  
“Last chance.”  
Metatron looked around, nervous, but not a single angel moved.  
“Fine. You wanna dance? Let’s go.”

In the moment before Metatron attacked, Gabriel turned to Castiel.  
“Protect the souls.” It was his last command.  
Then there was nothing but raw power. Metatron had little experience in this type of fighting. Gabriel sent power slamming into him, knocking him backwards as he came forward with his sword. But the bookish angel was prepared, moving out of the way and attempting to slam back, a blow Gabriel didn’t quite deflect. 

It was hard fighting like this. It was Elysium all over, it was Michael in the cage. When you were fighting to protect something, you couldn’t fight to your full ability. He couldn’t let himself go, without obliterating the angels, and half of heaven with them. He had to take blows he wanted to dodge, because letting them loose would cause untold devastation. Even the force of his attacks could send shockwaves through heave and earth. And Metatron was using this to his advantage. The one thing Gabriel had was speed. He was the messenger of God, built to be faster than any other being. And he’d been taught to fight by Michael himself, the finest blades master in heaven. 

Metatron tried to hold him off with random bursts of power, strong enough to buffet the archangel, but his blade was fast and sure, opening a thousand shallow cuts over the scribe, wounds that bled sluggishly, not fully healing as they should, being made by an archangel blade. But none of them were killing blows. Even now, he wanted to avoid that. But he couldn’t properly defend and he couldn’t attack. He was losing power, while Metatron could continue indefinitely, not having to draw on his own strength. It was the very weakness Gabriel had tried to explain. 

Dimly he heard Castiel shouting to him.  
“Let go brother.”  
His attention was drawn outward to where his siblings were surrounding him. He could see them then, true forms and vessels, forming a ring of energy around the two combatants. Combining their power, acting as shield. And now, Gabriel turned back to this, his most lost brother. He could end this. Now.

His power flashed outward, a hard blow, knocking Metatron backwards. The shockwave spread outwards and was contained, rippling along the line of his siblings. But they held strong and in the same moment, he leapt forward, faster than breath, faster than thought and ripped the tablet out of Metatrons hands, smashing it on the ground.

The thunder rumbled, even louder than before, a force that shook both heaven and earth. And it was over. His source of power broken, Metatron fell to his knees before him, and for a moment as the anger burned through him, Gabriel was tempted to end this, to smite this upstart angel who had thought to rule heaven. He wouldn’t even need his blade. He could simply snap and he’d be gone. But he didn’t. 

It was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was always disappointed by how easily all the big boss fights seem to go down in Supernatural. So this is a little more on the dramatic side. I hope you liked it.
> 
> Also, I've taken a few liberties with some concepts throughout. The show is vague in some areas, and contradictory in others, so I've kind of filled in some blanks.


	39. Cleaning Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It takes longer to clean up than it takes to make a mess.

Slowly Gabriel stepped away, lowering his wings. The ground stopped trembling as he pulled his power back. The scribe on the ground in front of him was looking at him with a strange mix of fear, awe and surprisingly still contempt.  
“Where did I go wrong?” 

That caused Gabriel to laugh, a savage ringing sound, but it helped to soften him, bringing him back from the righteous fury that had consumed him. It was with his more familiar flippancy that he answered.   
“You made the same mistake we’ve all made.” He said looking down at the angel in amusement. “You underestimated Sam Winchester.”  
The angel opened his mouth to reply, but Gabriel silenced him with a gesture.   
He finally turned to the angels surrounding him, his brothers and sisters, angels who had risked themselves to contain the fight, to protect heaven. 

“Gadreel!”  
He came forward willingly and knelt.  
“I think you know somewhere to put this?” He said contemptuously looking at the scribe. Gadreel smiled.  
“I know just the place.”  
A snap, and Metatron was bound at the wrists, wards that would be unbreakable.   
“Guard him. I’ll be there soon.”  
Metatron climbed slowly to his feet, still gagged. Otherwise, Gabriel knew, he’d still be running his mouth. It was actually a mercy to keep him silent. That burning anger was still simmering near the surface, and much as he wanted to avoid it, the wrong thing from the scribe and he’d cease to exist. 

Gadreel happily took his former commander in hand, marching him off towards the prisons even as Gabriel rebuilt them in the distance. Metatron’s departure seemed to be a cue. Even as he left, the angels came forward. Castiel was the first to kneel, followed quickly by all the others. And Gabriel looked down across his brethren, his family, angels he hadn’t seen since before Lucifer’s fall, and he was overwhelmed by love. He reached out, across the earth, sending out a signal for every angel to hear, tapping into the same soundwave Metatron had used with his ridiculous machine. 

Come home. 

And they did. The host was not what it once was. After the apocalypse, after the leviathan, after the fall, so many had been lost. Some, Gabriel knew, were hiding. But still. He was surrounded by dozens of angels. And he watched as each one arrived, could actually see the joy on their face, or fear, or uncertainty as they looked at him, and one by one they knelt. 

Finally, when he felt no more were coming, he spoke.   
“All right, everyone up.”   
He hated the forced solemnity, and he hated seeing his family kneeling. They looked at him in confusion as they rose. Gabriel just rolled his eyes. No need to wonder who taught them that. Raphael probably had them kissing the floor for a while. He always was self-important. 

“Listen up. I don’t care what happened this past year. I don’t care whose faction you joined, or who you think was right. Heaven has new management now. Me. And I intend to make a few changes. Starting with this.” He announced loudly. Raising a hand he snapped. It was a deceptively simple gesture with a whole lot of power behind it. Because with that snap, he reopened the gates of heaven.

He watched the shudder run through them as their power was fully restored. They looked at him in wonder, even as he turned to three younger angels in front of him.   
“Lot of souls out there that need wrangling. Get on it.”   
Two of them hurried to obey, but one hesitated. Ithuriel. She took a step closer.   
“What’s up kiddo?” He said, eyebrows raised.   
“I…” She didn’t get any words out, but she jumped forward suddenly and wrapped her arms around him. This was more like it. He returned the embrace warmly.  
“Thank you.” She whispered fervently.  
“Got a job to do there kid.” He replied, and she smiled and nodded before hurrying off after the other two. 

Gabriel turned to look at Castiel only to find himself caught up in another hug, this one from the solemn angel.   
“Thank you brother.” Cass said, looking down at the archangel.   
“I should be thanking you.” Gabriel replied. “Whose idea was that anyway?”  
“Well...” Castiel started.  
“It was his idea.” Hannah finished for him, coming forward.   
“Is it really you brother?” She continued. “We thought you were…”   
Gabriel sighed and rolled his eyes again.  
“Dead? Well you weren’t wrong. I got brought back.”

He didn’t elaborate. He could see the speculation on their faces. After all, Cass had been brought back several times with no explanation. While Gabriel knew it wasn’t God who’d brought him back, it didn’t hurt to let them think it for a while. That opened the floodgates. Suddenly there were several angels around him, hesitating, but as he opened himself up, both arms and grace, they pressed forward. And for a long while Gabriel was simply surrounded by his siblings, touching once familiar graces along with hands and faces of countless bodies.

To them Gabriel was warmth and comfort. Each of them had at least one fond memory of him before he’d left. Many who’d thought him dead had mourned. His loss had been felt almost as keenly as their father, for while they might not have loved him the same, they had loved him as an older brother, one who was affectionate and teasing, bringing not just discipline but fun to the garrisons. 

To say he was overwhelmed was an understatement. He hadn’t expected them to greet him like this. He’d expected them to shun him, or at least be angry with him for leaving. And maybe that was coming. But this last year had been hard for all of them. Losing their home and their friends, confused, angry. Now, they were just grateful. 

It took a long time, but finally he was alone again standing in front of them. It was time to address some issues.   
“What do we do now?” One of the angels asked from the back.  
“Now? Now we do what we should have been doing. We protect the humans. And don’t give me any of that nonsense.” He said, glaring at the few less than pleased faces in the crowd. 

“I know what Michael had planned. And Raphael. I know that some of you probably found your stay on earth to be a little less than enlightening. But Dad gave us a job to do. And until he comes back to say otherwise, this is what we’re going to do. There will be no more angel killing. What’s happened in the past is past. But you’re gonna set aside your differences and you’re gonna work together. Understood?” 

A few shaky nods from the crowd. One angel, Saniel, came forward.   
“What if we don’t want to stay in heaven?”   
“What, you got something better to do?” He asked, just a hint of danger.  
“I want to help the humans.” He said, quietly but firmly. “I did good down there. I helped people.”  
Gabriel looked at his brother and smiled.  
“Don’t worry kid. I got plans for that.” He said softly, looking at him. Then he raised his voice turning to the others. 

“For now, we rebuild. Get the souls trapped in the veil where they’re supposed to be. And I want roll calls for every garrison. If someone isn’t here, I want to know why. Hannah will assign tasks.”  
He’d heard from Castiel that Hannah was competent and respected, and from what he could see, a large number of his brothers and sisters looked up to her. So she was his first choice to deal with this. He’d meant it as a dismissal. He had things he needed to do. But another came forward, Sachriel.

“What about Castiel.”   
Gabriel narrowed his eyes at his brother.  
“What about Castiel?”  
“He’s a traitor! He slaughtered thousands!”  
Another spoke up before he could respond.  
“He chose humans over his own.”  
And another.  
“He sent angels out to die!”  
And another  
“He let them kill Tessa.”

Gabriel sighed, looking at his brothers. Some of these were angels from Castiel’s own camp, the ones that had walked out on him. Hannah moved to defend him, but Castiel said nothing, just looked back at Gabriel, resigned to his judgment. It made Gabriel want to protect him. But this was still Castiel’s choice. For now though, there was something he could do. He snapped and the two angels, Josiah and Aithen, and the reaper Tessa were there. He’d almost forgotten that he’d stashed them. 

It silenced the angels immediately.  
“Well I think we can scratch at least one of those off the list.” He said smirking.  
“Now Josiah, want to tell me about those bombers?” He added, looking at the startled angel. Josiah looked back at him for reassurance before speaking.  
“It was Metatron. He wanted to trick you into believing it was Castiel. He brainwashed them.” He said, shakily.   
“It’s true, he’s the one who recruited me.” Tessa added, more confidently. Gabriel had taken care of the brainwashing after he’d taken her. 

Gabriel nodded to her.  
“Tell your boss I want a word.” And with that, he sent her down to do her job.  
Some of them still didn’t look happy and he sighed. He knew he had to deal with this, now. If he let them go off like this, there’d be another mutiny in heaven.   
“Look guys, we’ve all screwed up. And yeh Cassie more than most. But how many times has he been brought back now? Even after the massacre up here? Do you wanna know why?”   
That had their attention.  
“Because he has a mess to clean up. And so do you. Right now, we have a job to do. And sticking him in a cell isn’t going to help one bit. None of you are getting off that easy. You want punishment? Clean up your mess!” 

And then he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much as I would like to finish it on the last chapter with a bang, I felt like there were too many loose threads. But maybe I'm wrong. This chapter feels a little messy, but I wanted to get this first meeting out of the way. I might delete it later, I'm not sure yet.


	40. Restoration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are slowly getting put back together.

Sam and Dean appeared back in the bunker startled, both poised for a fight, adrenaline surging only to find there was nothing to do. They both looked around frantically, but there was no enemy to face, no research to do, no way to help. It wasn’t their fight. 

They could hear the sounds, like thunder in the sky. They turned on the news, and there were reports on every channel, but so far nothing catastrophic, no deaths. When they felt that last, violent rumble they recognized it as the sound of the angel tablet breaking. Dean at least sighed with relief. With the tablet gone, Metatron could be stopped. 

When they didn’t hear anything for the rest of the day, they were worried. By the end of a week they were going crazy. They were afraid to leave the bunker in case one of their angels came looking for them. But eventually they realised they couldn’t just wait forever. So they picked up new cases. Fell back into the routine of what they always did. Saving people, hunting things. 

In heaven, Gabriel had his work cut out for him. But his presence slowly influenced them all. Castiel could see the changes, even if Gabriel couldn’t. The archangel hadn’t been in heaven for a long time, but Cass could see things were getting better. The souls that were trapped in the veil had been finally allowed in, a little worse for wear, but Gabriel had assigned a team to deal with that, angels who specialized in treating wounded souls. Their siblings were no longer fighting. Instead they were working together, focusing on resetting heaven’s defenses and undoing the damage Metatron had done. 

The biggest difference Castiel could see was in the angels themselves. Gabriel was very different from Michael, who used to deal with them all through ‘upper management’. The eldest archangel had removed himself from almost everyone and it left the Host a little colder. But Gabriel was everywhere. He lent strength where it was needed and doled out encouragement and reprimand when necessary. Any who questioned him were soon reminded of why an archangel deserved respect, but he was never cruel. It was only a beginning, but for the first time in a long time Castiel had hope. Gabriel on the other hand tried not to let them see how disappointed he was. Maybe it was time making him nostalgic, but heaven was much colder than he remembered. 

For now, there were no trips to earth. He’d taken them to task for the mass possessions they’d performed on uninformed hosts. The angels had returned their vessels, using their power to smooth over their absences, giving them back their families and their lives, laying wards to protect them from any demons that might try to steal a former angel host. Castiel and Gabriel remained the only exceptions. Their vessels were empty, soulless, and had no lives to return to. 

The day he found out about Naomi’s torture chamber he broke his own rules. He listened in horror as Castiel described the way she’d tried to reprogram him, forcing him to kill replicates of Dean over and over. And he was proud and a little smug that his brother still hadn’t given in when it was time to face the real thing. But finding that room, still smelling of angel blood, the pain seeped so deeply into the walls it had become a permanent psychic wound, Gabriel had gone seeking a little comfort of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this one is a little better. Let me know what you think.


	41. Chance Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little bit more Sabriel

Sam was in the library doing research. They’d just finished their latest case, but he wanted to dive into a new one. When he was busy with hunting, he didn’t have time to worry. It had been over a month since they’d been snapped out of heaven, and in that time they hadn’t heard anything. But the world was still turning, and there had been no more sightings of Metatron, no more evidence of angels. A string of missing persons they’d tagged as vessels all reappeared, all evidence they’d gone missing erased except from their own records. They’d rung Mrs Tran to find that Kevin had disappeared. All the signs were pointing towards heaven being back in business. But they still hadn’t heard from their angels. 

Dean wasn’t taking it well. Neither was Sam, but he was better at hiding it. Besides, Cass had been around for years. Sam found himself missing the strange angel that had become family. But that didn’t mean he didn’t miss his own angel. They might have only been together, not really even together, for a short time, but Sam had a tendency to fall hard and fast, and Gabriel had smashed through his barriers in record time. It helped that the angel had already known so much. 

So yeh, while he might be pretending to be faking for Dean’s sake, Sam wasn’t as ok as he let on. Which was why he’d sent Dean out for a supply run while he was ‘researching’. Because despite how badly he wanted a new case to distract them, all he’d really achieved was sitting in the library in the semi dark staring at the wall, imagining all the terrible ways something could have gone wrong, and feeling the empty loneliness inside. 

He was standing in front of a shelf, absentmindedly putting back a book, so lost in his memories that at first he thought he imagined the snapping noise behind him. But when he was suddenly pushed back against a wall and there were small, insistent hands in his hair dragging him down to meet soft lips, his heart leapt as he realised Gabriel was back. He let himself get lost the sensation, just enjoying the taste and feel of his angel against him before he pulled back. They were both breathing hard and there was something hard and bright in Gabriel’s eyes. 

“Sorry Sammy. Didn’t mean to jump you like that.” He said, golden eyes looking up at Sam. Sam just laughed.  
“Best thing that’s happened all day.” He said with a smile. That made the angel grin wider.  
“Only all day? I guess I have to try harder.” 

But when he brought them back together, it was slow and gentle and Sam leaned in, craving more of that impossible warmth. It was edging out the darkness and loneliness from the past few weeks and making Sam’s head spin. Gabriel took comfort in the soft human skin under his hands, the goodness in his heart, and took everything he had, driving out the bitter chill that room had left on his grace. Here with his human, he could let it go, let go of everything and just feel. 

Sam could sense that Gabriel needed comfort. And he was willing to provide it. But eventually he had to draw back again, sweeping soft fingers across the angels face as he shivered.   
“Is everything ok? What happened?” He’d been in the dark too long and his curiosity was killing him. But when Gabriel frowned, looking sad he wished he could take the words back.   
“Everything’s fine Sam. Cass is fine, he’ll be gone for a while, but he’ll be back soon. We got a lot of work to do. But Metatron’s in prison and he’s not getting out any time soon. The gates are open and everything’s back where it should be.” He said, a little bitter, looking away.   
Sam caught the tone and gently tilted his face back up.  
“What happened?” He said, still concerned.   
Gabriel sighed.   
“Just more evidence that my brothers were completely out of their minds. It’s ok Sammy, I know we’re fixing it. I just…I needed to remind myself why I’m bothering.” He said, looking at Sam, gold eyes so bright the hunter lost his breath. So he did the only thing that made sense. He kissed him again, fast and hard and breathless.  
“Missed you Gabe.”   
“Mmm missed you too Sammy.”  
“Show me how much?”   
There was a challenge and an invitation there; one Gabriel was more than willing to meet. When he finally returned to heaven, he was feeling much better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two more to go. Thanks for sticking with me this far.


	42. We Keep Forgetting About Adam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adam is finally getting rescued.

Looking over the lists of the fallen, Gabriel didn’t know how much more he could take. It didn’t seem fair that Cass and Gabriel could be resurrected, but others couldn’t. Balthazar, Samandriel, Ezekial (the real one), angels who deserved to live, or more correctly didn’t deserve their fates to start with. 

Speaking of. 

He had a meeting. Death had been slow in getting back to him, but he’d expected that. He was busy, and didn’t like to interfere in events. But Gabriel knew he was also curious. Not a lot happened in the grand scheme of things. So when he got the message from a reaper that he was willing to meet, Gabriel knew he’d at least peaked his interest. 

He left Castiel in charge. Some of the other angels were still a little nervous around Cass, but his sincerity and devotion in rebuilding had convinced most of them. And they were still angels. They respected power. With everyone recharged, the Seraph was the most powerful angel left in heaven, excepting the archangel, something Gabriel was a little surprised to discover. It seemed his resurrection, after Lucifer had annihilated him, had given him a power boost, bumping him up a class. Gabriel didn’t know if it was supposed to be a reward or a warning, but either way, right now it meant Castiel was his best option for a replacement if he didn’t come back. Death was fickle, and even if he were successful, he could be going somewhere even more dangerous. 

Death was one of the few creatures that Gabriel actually respected. So he at least tried to be polite when they met.   
“’S’up Death.” He said with a slightly modified version of what was still his usual swagger. Death didn’t look amused.  
“Gabriel. I see you finally got your affairs in order.” He replied.  
“’Bout that. I have a favour to ask.” He said, cutting straight to the point.   
“I assumed there was a point to this meeting.” Death said sarcastically.   
“I want in the cage.”   
That got his attention.  
“No. Absolutely not. Did you forget I helped stop the apocalypse?”  
Gabriel looked at him grimly.  
“So did I. I don’t want to let them out. But there’s someone in there who shouldn’t be.”

Death considered him for a moment.  
“You want me to retrieve another soul from the cage? I told Dean to choose. And he did. What makes you think I’ll do it?”   
“Because it’s your job to get the souls where they belong. And Adam doesn’t belong in there.” Gabriel replied, serious for once.   
Death was watching him with interest, and in this meeting at least, Gabriel knew sincerity would be more important than persuasion.   
“Even if I did, there wouldn’t be much left. Certainly not enough to bring back alive.” Death continued.   
“I don’t want to bring him back. God no. Two Winchesters are bad enough. But his soul belongs in heaven. And Sam told me Mikey’s been looking out for him. It might not be that bad.”   
“If you’re doing this for Sam or Dean Winchester-“  
Gabriel cut him off, even though that was probably a bad idea.  
“This has nothing to do with them. I owe that kid.”

Gabriel couldn’t shake the feeling that Adam was him. Youngest of the brothers, living in peace, dragged into a fight he was never meant to be part of, killed and brought back? Sure some of it was in the wrong order, and it didn’t all fit. But it was a feeling he couldn’t shake. He was still convinced that the kid would have been his true vessel, if he hadn’t already had one. And he felt like that made him responsible. But he didn’t want to tell Death that. So he gave him a different part of the truth. 

“That’s my brothers in there with him. I can’t just let them keep torturing him.”  
Death looked at him as if he didn’t believe him, but he didn’t push. Instead he asked,  
“And why should I?”  
In truth, he was actually willing to do it. The ones in the cage couldn’t hurt him, and there was no risk of letting them out. He was older than God, and there were very few powers that could really affect him. But he wanted to see what the archangel would do. As the new ruler of heaven, Death wanted to know what he was like. The angel had already tried reason and honour. He was curious what he would try next. 

“Because you owe me one.” Gabriel replied, snapping.   
So bargaining then. But not offering anything. That was amusing. Death raised an eyebrow.  
“I bet it’s been a real headache for you this year. All those reapers trying to move souls into heaven, getting shut out. All that crying, screaming, I’m surprised you didn’t step in sooner.”  
Death decided he liked this archangel, impertinent though he was. At least he wasn’t boring. And he supposed he did have a point.   
“Alright. Wait here.”   
And he disappeared. 

Gabriel was left pacing. He hadn’t actually expected it to be that easy. But he wasn’t left waiting long. Which again, was surprising. Also proof that Death really wasn’t to be trifled with. He came in with his briefcase, opening it carefully, handing over the wounded soul.

Gabriel had expected it to be damaged. And it was. It was practically keening in its pain and distress. But it was in far better shape than Sam’s, even now. Gabriel couldn’t imagine what it had cost Michael to keep him protected, especially after Sam vanished. Lucifer had actually liked Sam. 

He did his best to soothe it as he cradled it gently. One nod to Death on his way out and then he was in heaven. With his grace he reached out, gently putting a few healing layers down on it, knitting together the worst of the damage. Then he passed it on to his team, the ones who were responsible for healing all the damaged souls from the veil. They were specialists, experts in this. They’d get it fixed up with time. And then he could rest at peace, safely in heaven. 

Gabriel had done what he could. He’d rescued Adam from the cage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adam gets screwed so badly. Even Chuck. He took care of Kevin, but did anyone mention Adam? Even when they were in the cage? Nope. Poor kid. So yeh, I had to include this. As for protecting Adam, it just seems like something Michael would do. He likes to see himself as the 'good' guy, and Adam did help him out.


	43. Bright Ideas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel is still getting stuff done. And if he shows a bit of favouritism then hey, who can blame him.

No angels had been allowed on the earth since Gabriel had taken over. With the exception of his one visit with Sam, and his meeting with Death, even he had kept that rule. But now it was time.

Some had expressed a greater interest in humanity since their time on earth. And Gabriel wasn’t inclined to disagree. During the Fall as they were calling it, Castiel had placed some of his angels in hospitals, curing children from fatal illnesses, helping those who needed it. It was a much more hands approach than heaven had traditionally taken. But Gabriel didn’t care. He’d lived on earth long enough to know there were plenty of monsters out there who had no trouble preying on the weak and helpless, the ones who couldn’t help themselves. He’d messed with the human ones often enough, but there were true horrors in the world. 

Hunters helped with that. They gave their lives, their bodies, their families over to the cause, hunting things, protecting people, saving lives. And they did it alone. There was no one out there to help them, and they often couldn’t go to hospitals that would ask questions about strange wounds. Gabriel had seen the scars on Sam that came from a fifth of whisky and dental floss stitching after an injury. Maybe it was interfering more than Dad’s plan had originally allowed. But unless he turned up to stop them, Gabriel wasn’t really following the rules too closely. At least not the ones that ended up with people hurt. 

So he put together a special task forces. Only a small handful of angels, ones that wanted the chance to interact with humans, and to help. They’d be stationed on earth, the only angels allowed there, and Gabriel knew exactly who he wanted to lead them. 

Castiel was working with Hannah, working up personnel folders. It was boring and tedious and Gabriel had quickly handed that off to the more competent angels. They were responsible for assigning duties. With everything settling back down, Gabriel had ordered the garrisons inside hell to be reinstated, preventing demons from easily climbing out. It would be a start on controlling the demon problem on earth. They had also re-staffed the heavenly defenses and guards on the garden and the souls. Joshua had survived and was back tending to the heart of heaven.

When Gabriel approached, both angels nodded deferentially. At first, he’d had to stop some of the younger ones from kneeling every time he walked past. It was just one more reminder of what he had to work to change. 

“Hey Cass. I have a difficult and dangerous mission for you.” He said ominously.   
He watched the angel straighten, saw how ready he was to obey, with no idea what was going to be asked of him and Gabriel wasn’t sure whether to laugh or hug his brother.   
“What do you need, brother?”  
“How do you feel about being stationed on earth?” He said casually. 

The response was more than enthusiastic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, sorry guys, I'm trying to wrap this up, but it keeps taking longer than I planned.


	44. Finish Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel gets to pitch his idea to the hunters, and Cass and Dean finally reunite.

Dean was in the kitchen. It had been six months. Six long months since Cass had left. And as much as he was trying to hold it together for Sam, he really wasn’t sure how much longer he was going to be able to keep doing this. The hunting helped. But the moments in between? Those were torture.

It was almost worse since Sam had seen Gabriel. Dean had come back from a supply run to see a very happy looking Sam in the main room. That had been a big clue for Dean. Sam hadn’t really been happy since heaven. When Sam told him the archangel had dropped by, Dean knew the reason for the grin. But he didn’t ask questions. Some things he did not want to know about his brother. 

When Sam mentioned Castiel was alive and would be back soon? That had been the real kicker. He’d spent the next week on edge, half expecting him to drop by any moment. But as the months had dragged on, it became less and less likely. Even Sam had started questioning himself. He was almost convinced he’d dreamt the whole thing. Except Gabriel had left him a sign. A single handprint burned into the wall beside his bed, something to remind Sam that he’d been there and was coming back. He wasn’t sure how the angel had known he’d need the concrete proof, but he had. 

That didn’t help Dean though. He’d basically given up on seeing his angel again. Why would he even come back? He had his family back, heaven, everything he wanted. All Cass had ever wanted was to be an angel. He’d known this would happen, had told himself that during the night they’d shared. But Dean’s heart had never been good at listening to his head. And it missed the angel, badly. So now he was just stumbling through, pulling his weight in the hunts, staying sharp enough to protect his brother, and keep them both alive. But the rest of the time, he just didn’t see the point anymore. 

Until he heard that voice behind him.  
“Hello Dean.”  
Dean dropped the bottle he was holding, staring at the apparition that looked like Cass. Except it couldn’t be. 

Distantly, he heard some commotion from the main room and a distant shout of ‘Gabriel’, but he wasn’t paying attention. He was being sucked back down into bottomless blue, like a riptide. It was if he’d never left. He looked the same. Of course he did, he was an angel. And he was just looking at Dean. 

“Hey Cass.”  
He tried to hide his shaking hands and nerves with bravado.  
“Took you long enough. How’s heaven?”  
But Cass had learned a few things about Dean Winchester over the years. They had liked to tease him that he didn’t understand humans, and maybe that would always be a little bit true. But he’d learned to speak Dean fluently and it didn’t hurt that he could see the pain and longing in his soul now. So he didn’t listen to the hostile tone, and he didn’t listen to his protests as he moved forward. He just walked right up, grabbed Dean’s jacket and pulled him down into a searing kiss that melted all of Dean’s resistance as he gave himself up to the angel. 

In the other room, Sam and Gabriel were similarly occupied.  
“Knew you’d be back.” Sam whispered against his skin.  
“Always for you Sammy.” The angel replied, before he managed to control himself.  
They were here for a reason.

“Cass, stopping macking on Dean and get out here.” Gabriel called.  
There was a crash and a muffled swearing and after a few moments, Cass and Dean appeared, looking distinctly rumpled. Sam grinned at them both, knowing he was probably looking similarly disheveled.  
“What do you want pipsqueak.” Dean mock growled.  
He couldn’t hide his grin though. It was good to see the little angel, and it was even better to see Sam smiling like that, even if it was because he had an arm still wrapped around the guy. 

“I’m wounded Deano.” Gabriel said dramatically, falling back against Sam, and the hunter couldn’t help but laugh as he held the angel up.  
Dean rolled his eye.  
“Yeh I’m sure. Ok, but seriously, what’s going on.” Dean said, moving into the room and pulling out a chair. Cass followed him closely, and Gabriel dropped into a chair with a shrug.  
“Got a proposal for you.” Gabriel replied easily, looking at Dean.  
“Think you’ve got the wrong brother there, Gabe.” Dean shot back easily.  
“Don’t think I do,” he shot back, looking up at Sam, eyes momentarily softening into that honeyed gold look that made Sam shiver. 

“Ok well I need to go wash my eyes out with soap, so if you two are done.” Dean made to leave, but Gabriel waved him down.  
“All right, spoilsport. We have a business proposal.” He said, stressing the word business.  
“Listening….”  
“Here’s the deal. I’ve got a bunch of angels who want to stay on earth.” He said, with a significant look at Cass. “They want to help. But I can’t exactly have a bunch of miracle workers wandering around messing with the grand design.”  
“Yeh ok, so what do you need us for?” Sam asked. 

“I want you to get organized. I know hunters haven’t always been the most cooperative bunch. But you used to have places. Bobby’s and Ellen’s”  
He said the names gently, knowing these had been important people to the boys.  
“That’s what I want you to be. You’ve got this bunker crammed full of all the information you could ever need. I want you to get the word out. Get them organized. Hunter needs information? Give you a call. If there are demons involved, or someone needs healing? Cass can send them someone. It’s time we took a more active part, seeing as you guys are doing all the work.”

Both brothers were staring at Gabriel. He gave them to the count of ten before he looked at Cass.  
“Do I have something on my face?” He asked the other angel.  
Sam was the first one to react. He reached over and kissed him. Gabriel was so surprised he almost fell out of his chair.  
“Are you serious?” Dean was too shocked to even pretend to be disgusted. “Do you know how big a help that would be?”  
“Well yeh, that’s kind of why I suggested it.” Gabriel said sarcastically, straightening himself up as Sam let him go. 

“This goes to plan, we might not even have to hunt anymore Dean!” Sam said enthusiastically.  
It was the first time either of them had seen a real retirement plan. Bobby had been pretty well set up, as the liaison for hunters. Without him, Garth had stepped up. But they’d lost him too. Between their experience and with some angel know how, they might finally be able to make a difference. 

“So how is this gonna work?” Dean asked.  
He was a little more skeptical, and preferred to be practical before getting carried away.  
“There’s about five angels who are willing. Cass here would be in charge, so you don’t need to worry about them. Normally, they’ll be stationed around the country. And then, when a hunter needs help they call you, you tell Cass, Cass sends help. If someone’s in over their head, or needs a quick rescue, we can probably swing that too.” Gabriel explained. 

“What happened to you not wanting to help?” Dan asked.  
Despite all the help he’d already given, Dean couldn’t help but be suspicious. The angels had always stayed out of it. Now he was offering to have them basically be at the human’s beck and call? It didn’t add up.  
“Let’s just say I’m invested now.” Gabriel said, looking at Sam again. “Besides, you hunters do good, taking out the monsters. Now if you stub your toe getting out of bed in the morning, don’t go crying to Cass. But if you manage to say, get electrocuted saving small children from a monster? I think we can make an exception.” Gabriel said evenly. 

Sam looked at him a little strangely. It was the first time he’d heard him mention something they’d done before he met them.  
“How do you know about that?” he asked.  
“I read.” He replied with a wink.  
Both brothers winced.  
“We need to burn those books.” Sam said.  
“They’re online.” Gabriel said happily and ducked as Sam tried to swipe at him.  
“So I take it you’re on board?”  
Both hunters nodded enthusiastically.  
“Are you kidding? This is the best plan we’ve had in years.” Dean said. 

“You haven’t even realised the best part yet.” Gabriel said confidently, settling back and looking at Cass, who’d been quiet so far.  
“What?” Dean said looking between them. Cass turned to face him properly.  
“I would be here Dean. Permanently. I would need to report back to Gabriel occasionally. But I could stay here. If you want me to.” 

Dean looked at him in shock.  
“Are you serious? Why would you want that?”  
Gabriel snorted.  
“Ok Sam, let’s go have some fun. Leave these two idiots alone.” He said, grabbing Sam’s hand and dragging the hunter out of the room with a wink. 

“Dean-“  
“No, Cass you just got it all back. I can’t let you give that up again!” Dean growled, standing up.  
Cass stood with him.  
“You don’t let me do anything Dean. I make my own decisions. That’s what you taught me. And I choose you.”  
He moved closer, ignoring any silly human notions of personal space, until their faces were inches apart, blue eyes boring into green.  
“I love you Dean.”

Dean froze. He’d known. He’d been told over and over and over by everything from demons to angels it was true. And, as Gabriel had pointed out, Cass had been saying it for years without words. Dean had always been afraid of people leaving him, people around him dying. But Cass just kept coming back. Not even death seemed enough to stop him. And Dean finally had a chance, a chance to be happy, to be with his brother, to keep his angel, to live a life that wasn’t necessarily safe, but meaningful. And he finally realised that this was a chance he needed to take. 

Dean wasn’t good with words. Anything that came close to emotion made him feel awkward and uncomfortable. So he took a lead from Cass. He grabbed the angel by his trench coat and kissed him with everything he had, letting it speak for him, acceptance in every touch, showing the angel how much he loved him. They were both finally home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this is it guy. Only one more to go, but it's only an epilogue. Thank you so much for all the kind comments! They mean a lot.


	45. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of all things.

There aren’t many souls that Death takes the time to collect personally. Sam Winchester was one. Dean Winchester had been another, taken several years earlier. Despite an angel’s best efforts, old age didn’t have a cure. For Sam, saying goodbye this time had been hard, but he knew he’d see his brother again. 

They’d both lived long and full lives. Long enough to see a new generation of hunters to grow up and take over. Hunters who hadn’t had to be raised the way Sam and Dean were. Ones with stable homes and families, with real jobs and school. Thanks to the angels, a three-day drive would take seconds. And thanks to the Winchesters, an organized hunter group had the country split up in to territories, so no one had to be too far from home or family for long. And no one would be alone. Help was always available. They’d been so successful, there were international chapters of the Winchester institute cropping up all over the world, aided by foreign men of letters and of course, Gabriel’s angel squad.

Looking back, Sam thought they really had made a difference. And when Death came, he finally got the chance to thank him for saving his soul before he moved on. Death took him to the gates, and Gabriel met him there. Because even after all these years, the archangel still hadn’t learned patience.

It was still true that the Winchester brothers shared a heaven. Sam embraced his brother gratefully, the years gone off both of them, turned back to their younger selves, by the magic of their souls. And of course their angels were there. Castiel had given up his position on earth for one in heaven on Dean’s death, and Sam had only seen him a few times since. He greeted his other brother enthusiastically; glad to see the angel again. 

For Gabriel, this moment was worth all the trouble, all the fights and all the hardship. To see heaven restored, to have Sam safe and surrounded by his own personal happiness, quite a lot of it featuring Gabriel, with his brother by his side. In time they would explore, seek out other heavens, other family they had lost. One quiet time when Sam would leave his angel behind and visit a girl he’d known in a different lifetime when he’d thought he could have a normal life. Another when they found an old wrecking yard, with a familiar house and a even more familiar gruff voice welcoming them in. 

Maybe their angels wouldn’t always be around. After all the ruler of heaven had things to do, and his right hand even more. But there were so many friends, so many lives they’d touched and as always, they have each other. And always their angels come back. Because only together are they truly home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Safe to say I never intended it to be quite this long, but we've finally reached the end. I hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading.

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a random idea I had. It's a work in progress so let me know what you think. 
> 
> Also, just as a note, I know that it's more common to use Cas, but I noticed in the episode when Matatron is typing he uses Cass. So I'm going with it. Sorry if it makes anyone uncomfortable.


End file.
